Loudoun Now for Oct. 26, 2023

n LOUDOUN

4 | n LEESBURG

VOL. 8, NO. 49

10 | n EDUCATION

14 | n OBITUARIES

24| n LEGAL NOTICES

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

OCTOBER 26, 2023

HOAs Join Forces to Fight Invasive Species

BY HANNA PAMPALONI

hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Inova Executive Assistant and Project Coordinator Elizabeth Braun helped plan the event. She said Dream Big parallels the

Loudoun homeowner’s association presidents and board members showed up in force at last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting in force in a coordinated effort to get the county government to fund a program designed to help remove invasive insects and plants.

They voiced concerns over the damage invasive species—such as lanternflies, stink bugs, English ivy and Bradford pear trees—can cause as well as the expense it takes for residents to get rid of them.

Willowsford HOA president Fred Ferraris said his community in the Little River District consisted of over 4,300 acres with more than half of it being dedicated to open space and under the Willowsford Conservancy’s care. He said in the past they have coordinated programs to have volunteers remove some invasive species, such as mustard weed and the Tree of Heaven.

“What could a funded program do to eliminate invasives and

DREAM BIG continues on page 41

INVASIVES continues on page 40

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Mohammed Attia, Jillian Paglinawan and Saniya Coleman at Dream Big day at Inova Loudoun Hospital on Oct. 19.

Inova Loudoun Premiers Dream Big to High School Students

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN

agustin@loudounnnow.com

Inova Loudoun premiered its latest student engagement program, Dream Big, by hosting over 50 students from Park View

and Potomac Falls high schools Oct. 19.

The program is geared to high school juniors to introduce them to various job possibilities at the hospital—beyond being nurses or doctors—and to increase diversity in healthcare.

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The Reserve at Waterford Wins Grand Award

Best Hybrid White: 50 West Vineyards’ “2022 Vidal Blanc”

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Wine lovers gathered at Lansdowne Resort on Friday evening to celebrate the Loudoun Wine Awards and find out who would be taking home the top prize among the 113 wines submitted for judging.

The Grand Award went to Jon and Cori Phillips at the Wine Reserve at Waterford for their 2021 “Gila,” a petit verdot.

“My wife and I thank everyone in this community, because this community is why we are here,” Jon Phillips said. “I’m so thankful that we picked this place and this community.”

The Wine Ambassador of the Year award went to Teri Riggs, co-owner of Forever Farm and Vineyard near Purcellville.

Owner of Maya Vineyard Services Severino Maya Garcia was awarded Winegrower of the Year.

“Thank you to my team,” Maya Garcia said. “And I want to say thank you to my wife.”

Owner of Willowcroft Farm Vineyards’ Lew Parker was named Winemaker of the Year.

“This is a great honor,” Parker said.

“I’ve been making wine here a long time and this certainly ranks as one of my greatest honors. I’ll also say repeatedly, Loudoun County is making world-class wine today—not because of me but because of the intelligence and ability of the

First place winners in each category were:

Best White Vinifera: Zephaniah Farm Vineyard’s “2020 Adeline” Best Albariño: October One Vineyard’s “2022 Albariño” Best Chardonnay: Williams Gap Vineyard’s “2022 Black Label Chardonnay” Best Sauvignon Blanc: Walsh Family Wine’s “2022 Bethany Ridge Sauvignon Blanc” Best Viognier: October One Vineyard’s “2022 Stainless Viognier” Best Petit Manseng: William Gap Vineyard’s “2022 Petit Manseng”

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson makes a toast during the 8th annual Loudoun Wine Awards Oct. 20.

people in this room.”

The event was emceed by Neil Wavra, the chef and owner of Field and Main restaurant, who serves as the director of the Loudoun Wine Awards competition.

“The wines that are here are starting to lead [the] class,” Wavra said. “They are starting to showcase promise that is distinctive. That is special. That would predicate someone to want to have those wines beyond just a beautiful setting and a wonderful hospitable reception. That is a sign of growth.”

President of the Loudoun Wineries

and Winegrowers Association Kerem Baki said the success of Loudoun wineries was attributable to the community supporting them.

“The only reason why our industry is so successful is because of all of you,” he said to the crowd gathered at Lansdowne Resort for the event. “People want us here.

People want wine grown in their backyard and we’re very grateful to be here to make wine for all of you.”

WINE AWARDS continues on page 43

Best Hybrid Red: Zephaniah Farm Vineyard’s “2019 Three Captain’s Red Blend” Best Red Vinifera: Hillsborough Vineyards’ “2021 Ruby” Best Cabernet Franc: Fabbioli Cellars’ “2019 Cabernet Franc Reserve” Best Merlot: Walsh Family Wine‘s “2019 Russ Mountain Merlot” Best Petit Verdot: The Wine Reserve at Waterford’s “2021 Gila” Best Bordeaux Blend: Iron Will Wineries’ “2021 Vitraux” Out of the 113 wines judged, 21 scored gold and 75 scored silver. The complete list of winners can be found at loudounwineawards.com.

Commission Begins Review of Philomont Fire Station Plan

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

After years of community debate, the proposal to build a new fire station on the former Philomont Horse Show grounds moved to the county Planning Commission for formal review Tuesday night.

The county government is proposing a $22 million project to replace the current fire-rescue station on Philomont Road with a new 18,800-square-foot facility a half mile away on Snickersville Turnpike. The project seeks to provide a larger station to handle modern equipment and provide more amenities, including bunkrooms, a training/ break room, restrooms, showers, food

A rendering of the proposed Philomont Fire-Rescue Station.

preparation, dining areas, laundry and decontamination areas, supply storage, a gear/hose drying area, a breathing apparatus air compressor room, fitness room,

offices, repair shop, and other ancillary functions.

The project has been criticized by some residents who advocated redevel-

opment of the existing firehouse site and the continued preservation of the horse show grounds, which operated from 1962 to 2019.

During the Oct. 24 public hearing, 19 area residents spoke, all but two urging the commission to examine other options to meet the company’s expansion needs and most urging a more detailed study of options to redevelop the current station site. Critics also raised concerns about traffic safety, the potential for groundwater contamination and noise, and the loss of the showgrounds as a community recreational and open space resource.

PHILOMONT FIRE STATION continues on page 40

PAGE 4

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Loudoun

ON THE Agenda Public Comment Open for Sugarland/Church Road Roundabout

Village at Clear Springs

A concept plan for the Village at Clear Springs development on 245 acres between the Dulles Greenway and Evergreen Mills Road just south of Leesburg. The proposed project includes a USTA tennis complex, 1,077 residential units and a neighborhood park.

Thousand-Home Village at Clear Springs Development Clears Planning Commission

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Plans to build a 1,077-unit residential community anchored by a United States Tennis Association training center and headquarters on 245 acres just south of Leesburg are headed to the Board of Supervisors for final action.

The Village at Clear Springs has been under review by the county Planning Commission since it held a public hearing on the project in February. The panel held a final work session on the project Oct. 12 and voted 7-2, with commissioners Jane Kerchner (Algonkian) and Ad Barnes (Leesburg) opposed.

While county planners raised concerns

about the scale of development, which they said exceeded that envisioned in the Transition Policy Area, advocates cited the benefits that the project would bring, including 192 affordable housing units, a world-class tennis center, and the widening of Evergreen Mills Road to four-lanes along the property.

The affordable housing plans include 180 apartments to be developed using federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and rented to residents earning up to 50% of area median income, currently $76,000 for a family of four. The proposal also envisions 12 quadplex units that would be set aside for Habitat for Humanity. Supporters noted that 18% of the residential units in the development would be designated for

affordable housing and provide a significant opportunity to help the county meet the goals of its Unmet House Needs study.

The project also includes 229 townhouses and 667 single-family detached homes, including homes designated for 55 and older age-restricted housing.

Plans for the USTA tennis complex were announced in 2022, with the Board of Supervisors approving a $250,000 incentive grant to support the $42 million project, which is slated to include a new headquarters complex for the sports nonprofit and a 36-court competition center.

The project includes a $16 million VILLAGE AT CLEAR SPRINGS continues on page 7

Plastic Bag Tax Garners $765,000 in First Year

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Last week’s Board of Supervisors’ vote to use proceeds from the county’s plastic bag tax to help pay for the establishment of a new recycling center in Lovettsville provided the first public insight into the scale of collections resulting from the 5-cents per bag levy imposed last summer.

According to Commissioner of the Revenue Robert S. Wertz, since the tax was established on July 1, 2022, approximately

$785,000 has been collected. Of that total, $765,000 was collected in the first fiscal year, running from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.

Wertz said that tracking the revenue by month is difficult because some of it is collected quarterly and that it is collected along with sales tax payments through the Treasurer’s Office. The amounts collected in May through July of this year were $61,000, $67,000 and $66,000. Still, Wertz said it is difficult to tell whether that is an accurate depiction of the monthly bag sales. The lowest recorded monthly collection was

February at $26,000, which he said was likely not an accurate depiction of the sales either.

The county imposes a five-cent per disposable plastic bag fee. Under the tax guidelines, stores were permitted to keep two cents of each bag until Jan. 1, 2023.

They are allowed to keep one cent from each bag after that.

Wertz said the county does not collect a tax on any bags except disposable plastic bags and that they do not get any portion of the fees some stores charge for the use of paper bags. n

Loudoun County is accepting public comments on plans to build a roundabout at the intersection of Sugarland Road and Church Road/Frederick Drive.

The project is part of the county’s Intersection Improvement Program that was launched in 2017. So far four projects have been completed and 25 more are on the to-do list.

Members of the public are encouraged to view a presentation and provide input about the project online by the Nov. 1 deadline.

Watch a recorded presentation and submit a comment at loudoun. gov/IntersectionImprovement.

Courthouse Tours Offered Historic Records Manager for the Clerk of the Circuit Court Eric S. Larson will lead a tour of the Clerk’s Office and the Historic Court Building on Tuesday, Oct. 31 beginning at 1:45 p.m.

Larson will discuss the extent of Loudoun County’s records holdings, where to look for records of births, deaths, marriages, and deeds, and how to use these records in research.

This event will begin at Thomas Balch Library. Pre-registration required and space is limited.

To register call 703-737-7195 or email balchlib@leesburgva.gov.

Electronics Recycling Planned Saturday Loudoun County will host an electronics recycling event Saturday, Oct. 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Leesburg Park and Ride lot.

There is a limit of five items per vehicle. Fees will be charged for televisions, computer monitors, and hard drive destruction services if requested. Only credit cards will be accepted.

For more information, go to loudoun.gov/electronics. n

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

PAGE 5

IT'S LIFE CHANGING Finally! A local Doctor is helping cancer survivors live lives free from the constant pain and suffering associated with Peripheral Neuropathy!

Irreversible is not a word you want to hear from your Doctor but it’s a common one if you’ve been diagnosed with ChemotherapyInduced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN. John T. of Leesburg survived testicular cancer only to be living life in constant pain. He felt as though he were walking on pins and needles, becoming weaker and weaker every day. “I was beginning to be worried that one day I would be wheelchair-bound.”

Nearly half of the patients who undergo chemotherapy will develop ChemotherapyInduced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN. Chemotherapy meds travel throughout the body and attack cancer cells; sadly they can also cause severe damage to healthy nerves. CIPN can begin within weeks of starting treatment and can worsen as treatment continues.

A high number of really unfortunate people will be forced to endure the symptoms associated with CIPN for months, or even years after they’ve completed chemo.

When asked how CIPN was affecting his quality of life, he responded, “It was difficult to even walk up and down stairs and do other things we usually take for granted.”

The most common symptoms include: pain, tingling, burning, weakness, or numbness in arms, hands, legs, or feet sudden, sharp, stabbing, or shocking pain sensations loss of touch sensation clumsiness and trouble using hands to pick up objects or fasten clothing loss of balance and falling For some, their nerves will recover over time. For most, the nerve damage is ‘irreversible.’ John had been told just that by a series of Doctors and specialists. Essentially they could cure his cancer but couldn’t fix the damage done by the drugs used to cure his cancer.

Then John made a call to Rachal Lohr of FIREFLY |Acupuncture & Wellness right here in Ashburn. Rachal and her team are using the time tested science of Acupuncture and technology originally developed

by NASA that assists in increasing blood flow and expediting recovery and healing to treat this debilitating disease.

After a series of treatments John was taking stairs with stride!

“We have a beach house and it’s up stairs. This morning I walked right down the stairs and got in the car,” John shared.

“I remember thinking ‘that’s become mighty easy for me', I didn’t have to hold on to the handrail or anything!

It’s life-changing to have this mobility back!”

Again and again, we meet with patients who were once diagnosed as "untreatable” or “incurable” but after receiving Rachal Lohr’s treatments are now living lives free from pain and suffering. For over 16 years she has been reversing the effects of CIPN and other varieties of Peripheral Neuropathy, including that is caused by diabetes without invasive surgeries and medications that come with uncomfortable side effects.

If you’ve recently beat cancer only to find that you’re living a life in constant pain and discomfort or you’re struggling with the same symptoms as a result of either Idiopathic Neuropathy or Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, Rachal and the incredible team at FIREFLY can help!

Rachal Lohr is now accepting new patients but only for a limited time.

In an effort to protect her patients, both current and future, she has made the difficult decision to limit the number of patients seen in her clinic.

Only 10 new neuropathy patients will be accepted monthly so call (703)263-2142 now to schedule a consultation.

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

Old Arcola School Approved for Affordable Housing

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The long vacant Arcola School building will get new life as part of an affordable housing project approved by the Board of Supervisors.

The Oct. 11 vote came more than two years after developer Michael Capretti first proposed a public-private partnership to develop the 11-acre county-owned property in conjunction with a 20-acre parcel across the street.

The applications permit the construction of 228 residential units—14 single family detached homes, 81 townhouses, and 133 apartments. Under the plan, the former school will be renovated to provide nine residences and a four-story apartment building will be constructed behind it.

Supervisors supporting the project praised Capretti for both providing meaningful affordable housing opportunities and for saving the school building, which was constructed in 1939 as a six-room, one-story school by the Public Works Administration. After serving as a school, it

A concept plan for the newly approved Arcola development shows a layout of 228 residential units bisected by Stone Springs Boulevard. At right is the former Arcola School property, which is planned to include 73 affordable rental units, along with a park that includes a soccer field and cricket pitch.

was reopened as the Arcola Community Center in the 1970s. In 2013, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Several supervisors lamented that in the years since the community center closed, the building has fallen into ruin.

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“The building is about to fall down. This is the only way the building gets saved,” Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) said, noting the recent demolition of a similar school building in Sterling.

County Chair Phyllis Randall (D-At Large) also praised the project, saying it both addressed the county’s efforts to expand housing opportunities and protected the historic building.

“We have been talking for years about what to do with this property,” she said.

Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), the board’s longest serving member, said he has been wrestling with the Arcola School property since his earliest days on the board—even looking at an affordable housing project there seven years ago, although that was blocked because the property was then inside Dulles Airport’s high noise zone. Those boundaries have since been moved to clear the way for residential development on the tract.

The project was approved on a 7-1-1 vote, with Supervisors Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) opposed and Tony Buffington (D-Blue Ridge) absent. n

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Village at Clear Springs continued from page 4 investment to expand Evergreen Mills Road to a four-lane divided configuration between Heritage High School and Shreve Mill Road.

Developer Leonard “Hobie” Mitchel said if the project is approved by the Board of Supervisors, construction would likely begin in 2026 or 2027, following the creation of detailed plans and utility relocations.

Commissioners supporting the project dismissed the staff concerns about conflicts with the county’s General Plan, noting its policies serve only as guides for the commission and Board of Supervisors to evaluate development proposals.

“The General Plan is a guide and this is a very unique opportunity,” Mark Miller (Catoctin) said in making the motion to approve the application. He said the USTA complex was a “game changer” for the county, the road improvements were important, and the affordable housing element was laudable.

“We can’t continue to say we want affordable housing but we don’t want it there, we don’t want it there, we don’t want it there,” he said.

Forrest Hayes (At Large) said the tennis

PAGE 7

complex would help diversify the county’s tax base and the housing element was important, as well. He called the project a “monumental opportunity.”

“We’re not going to be able to be the same bedroom community that we’ve been all along and survive. Why would we invest in the Silver Line if everything that comes out here that would allow the line to service it, we as a community push back because too many people are coming?” Forrest said.

“Guess what, they’re here to spend money.

We can’t continue to support One Loudoun and all these other commercial outlets that we have. It’s fool hardy.”

Chair Michelle Frank (Broad Run) said she had concerns about the project initially, especially the conflicts with the General Plan policies and its impact on Evergreen Mills Road. However, she said that in the project overall—including having about half of the residential units designated as affordable or age-restricted—the benefits outweighed the “things that don’t quite fit perfectly.”

Vice Chair Eric Combs (Ashburn) said that the refinements made to the application since February have made it a better project. “What we have is something that is going to be a big benefit for the county,” he said.

The project next moves to a public hearing before the Board of Supervisors. n

Republicans, Democrats and Independents agree that Loudoun voters should Re-Elect Gary Clemens:

Integrity. Experience. Leadership. Innovation.

For the past 24 years Gary Clemens has been providing over 800 services to the citizens of Loudoun County as the Clerk of the Circuit Court and the results speak for themselves.

BEST GOVERNMENT PRACTICES AWARDS: VOTED: One of the Best Public Servants in Loudoun Now and • Online Business Name Application System Loudoun Times Mirror Polls • Improved Access to Historic Court Records APPOINTED: Executive • Electronic Recording of Deeds Leadership Roles in Virginia Court Clerks’ Association • Online Access to Deeds and Land Records • Online Registration of Marriage License Application • Enhanced Access to Public Information

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“We are pleased to endorse Gary Clemens for re-election as Loudoun’s Clerk of the Circuit Court. We know what it takes to lead this vital constitutional office, and Gary’s leadership and experience make him uniquely qualified. We urge ALL voters to re-elect Gary Clemens.”

– H. Roger Zurn County Treasurer (R) – Kristen Umstattd Leesburg District Supervisor (D) – Vic Mason Clerk of Circuit Court, King George County (I) – John T. Frey Clerk of Circuit Court, Fairfax Co. (R) – Paul Ferguson Clerk of Circuit Court, Arlington Co. (D) Authorized by Friends of Gary Clemens 10/10/23 11:26 AM

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 8

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

A view of the recently completed extension of Northstar Boulevard from Tall Cedars Parkway to Rt. 50.

Northstar Extension to Rt. 50 Opens Members of the Board of Supervisors, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Virginia Department of Transportation gathered last week to celebrate the opening of Northstar Boulevard’s extension south of Rt. 50.

The project adds approximately 3,500 feet of the four-lane median-divided road with turn lanes at Rt. 50, Marrwood Drive and Tall Cedars Parkway. It also includes 10-foot-wide shared use paths on both sides of the road.

The $45.8 million project budget included 70% funding from the NVTA and

is part of the North/South Corridor of Statewide Significance, addressing congestion on north and south routes between I-95 and Dulles Airport. This new segment provides an alternative north/ south connection to Rt. 50, improving capacity and safety on existing roadway networks within the Dulles South area.

The county is also constructing a section of Northstar Boulevard between Evergreen Mills Road and Rt. 50, which will join with this segment of existing roadway in the Brambleton area. Construction is expected to be completed by winter 2024. n

Belmont Ridge Road Traffic Pattern to Change

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Staring next week, a new traffic pattern will be implemented in the Belmont Ridge Road construction zone.

As early as Nov. 1, northbound and southbound traffic will be switched to new separated roadway alignments between Croson Lane, and Truro Parish Drive. The corridor will continue to be a single lane in each direction.

Drivers are encouraged to use caution when traveling through the area and follow directions from the posted signs and road crews during the transition.

The $43 million project reconstructs and widens Belmont Ridge Road between Truro Parish Drive and Croson Lane from a two-lane rural road to a four-lane, median-divided, suburban roadway, with shared-use paths for pedestrians and bicyclists on each side.

The widening is funded through local taxes, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and the VDOT’s Revenue Sharing Program. Construction is expected to be completed by next summer. n

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

AROUND town

Leesburg

Compass Creek Annexation Battle Moves Toward March Hearing

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The Leesburg and Loudoun County governments are on course for a March clash over the town’s bid to annex 402 acres of the Compass Creek development.

The town on Oct. 13 filed the final pre-hearing report on its annexation petition. The 131-page statement seeks to refute issues raised by the county government in its 692-page opposition brief filed earlier this year.

Also, this week, the Leesburg Town Council approved an additional $250,000 allocation to support the annexation bid, raising the total appropriation for the project to more than $885,000.

The town in September 2022 notified the county of its plans to annex the remaining 403 acres of Compass Creek south of the town boundaries—including the 323-acre Microsoft data center complex—after talks with county leaders on a potential deal to share tax revenues from data centers broke off.

In pursuing the relatively rare adverse annexation before the Commission on

Local Government, the town’s case centers on decades-long county planning policies that delineated a growth area around Leesburg where the town would provide public utilities and eventually incorporate land within the service area. The town argues that the town invested in its utility system based on that concept, that property owners within the targeted annexation area would benefit from other municipal services, and that the town needs land for economic development opportunities.

The county, in its filing, denied that there was a commitment to support annexation of the utility service area and characterized the town’s expansion efforts as seeking to impose “additional and burdensome municipal taxes” on the property owners without providing “any meaningful benefit” to them. The town has not demonstrated the need for additional tax revenue or additional land for commercial or industrial development, the filing stated.

The town’s latest response reiterated the investment—more than $20 million— the municipality has made into its utility and road systems to support development

in the Compass Creek project within the planned annexation area and refuted county claims that the town had ample land available for development inside its borders.

The filing stated that the annexation of data center land is important to better balance its tax base.

“To be clear, this is not a ‘money grab.’

This is the logical application of longstanding policy and years of intensive planning by the Town to develop Compass Creek for emerging technology and other compatible uses,” according to the statement.

“The purpose was to expand and diversify the town’s tax base and reduce the town’s overreliance on its residential real estate tax base. This annexation will do just that—increase the town’s non-residential tax base and bring the overall composition of the town’s tax base into line with that of the county.”

Next, the Commission on Local Government will convene in Leesburg starting March 5 for four days of public hearings and oral arguments on the request. Under the published schedule, a commission report is due by May 3. n

Dump Site Study Comes with $16.9M Cleanup Estimate

Look out for Barbies, Pikachu’s, and more traditional witches and goblins Saturday afternoon in the downtown area.

Downtown streets will be closed from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. as Mobile Hope and the Leesburg Downtown Business Association invite trick or treaters to visit more than 70 downtown businesses along Market, Loudoun, and King streets. As part of the collaboration, participants are encouraged to drop off canned food items at several locations.

It is the fourth year for the free event.

Join Saturday’s Townwide Cleanup The town’s Environmental Advisory Commission invites residents to participate in a “Keep Leesburg Beautiful” fall cleanup on Saturday, Oct. 28.

The town will provide safety vests, gloves, and trash bags that can be picked up at the Liberty Street parking lot at 9 a.m. on the day of the event.

Residents, community groups, and businesses are encouraged to participate in the event by conducting their own trash pickup and identifying locations throughout the town in need of litter cleanup. Participants may email trash@leesburgva.gov with the location of any trash bags that need to be picked up for disposal.

Registration is encouraged.

For more information go to leesburgva.gov/KLB.

Book Talk: Desegregation in Northern Virginia Libraries

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Efforts to create a public-private partnership for the redevelopment of the Town of Leesburg’s Liberty Street parking lot hit a setback, with a consultant report finding it could cost as much as $16.9 million to clean up the decades of landfill material buried under the pavement.

The town in March contracted with WSP USA Environment and InfrastrucLIBERTY LOT continues on page 13

Downtown Trick or Treating Planned Saturday

File photo

A view of the elevated Liberty Street parking lot, which sits atop a former landfill site that includes more than 20 feet of discarded material dumped there over decades.

Thomas Balch Library will host authors Chris Barbuschak and Suzanne LaPierre in a discussion of “Desegregation in Northern Virginia Libraries” on Sunday, Oct. 29 beginning at 2 p.m.

Many libraries were inaccessible to Black residents during the Jim Crow era as communities continued to resist integration even after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case.

Pre-registration is required by calling 703-737-7195 or emailing balchlib@leesburgva.gov. n

OCTOBER 26, 2023

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 11

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 12

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

People gather on King Street Oct. 21 for the 35th annual Leesburg Car Show.

Leesburg Car Show Celebrates 35 Years

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

The 35th annual Leesburg Car Show took place in downtown Leesburg on Saturday.

King and Market streets were closed to traffic between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for a dazzling and colorful display of classic cars and trucks.

Guests meandered around listening to music, talking with vendors and chatting with car owners. The annual car show has

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been a premier family event for the past three decades and is a fundraiser for senior scholarships for students at the Academies of Loudoun.

Years ago, students from the C.S. Monroe Technology Center volunteered for the car show. The partnership evolved over time with profits being donated to the school as their primary fundraiser.

Eventually, the staff at Monroe Tech assumed full coordination of the event.

When the Monroe Technology Center closed in 2018 the programs became part of the new Academies of Loudoun. n

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

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

This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.

For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753.

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

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

Liberty lot continued from page 10 ture to investigate the former dump site to determine the type of material underneath, the size of the dump, and whether pollutants are spreading from the property.

The 2.37-acre site was operated as a landfill in the 1940s and 1950s, according to the town.

The Town Council was briefed on the results of a study Monday night, learning that much of the material would be treated as hazardous waste. Concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons, arsenic, lead, and cadmium all exceed the Environmental Protection Agency’s residential soil screening levels. Lead concentrations exceed industrial SSLs, the study found.

Also, groundwater at the site contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, lead, and PFAS—manmade chemicals that don’t break down in nature—at detectable concentrations that exceed drinking water standards.

Despite the high pollution levels, the council was told no remediation action would be required as long as the 22-footdeep stockpile remained undisturbed. Because residents and businesses in the area use public water supplies, the groundwater contamination is not a public health concern requiring action, the council was told.

Removing all—or a portion of the material—would be a costly undertaking, according to the report. Because of the contamination levels, much of the material, if excavated, would be treated as hazardous waste, requiring special safeguards during excavation and transport to a specialized landfill qualified to handle the material.

Total removal would entail 2,600 truckloads, the council was told.

The $16.9 million total cleanup price tag includes a 10% management fee and

30% contingency. The report did not provide costs associated with a smaller-scale excavation or the use of on-site treatment options that could reduce the amount of hazardous material requiring specialized disposal.

The evaluation of the site, which was last studied in 2003, is part of a study of a public-private partnership proposal that envisions the potential for more than 100 units of age-restricted, affordable senior apartments, a 450-seat theater, a conference center, restaurant space, and a 150-space parking garage. The project has

PAGE 13

evolved to include the potential for more parking, up to 350 spaces in a three-level garage, and coordination with a potential hotel project on an adjacent lot.

That scale of redevelopment for the properties along Town Branch relies on the excavation of the landfill site. Smaller scale development could occur on top of the landfill as long as the material remains covered, the council was told.

Those options include building structures, including the potential for a parking garage, at the site using piers to provide a foundation.

Vice Mayor Neil Steinberg, who along with Council member Ara Bagdasarian has been meeting regularly during the past six months with the public-private partnership developer group to refine their project, acknowledged the higher-than-expected price tag was a significant hurdle. However, he said the town should not give up on finding a better use for the downtown property, which currently provides 100 surface parking spaces.

“We have an ongoing conversation, and we plan to continue that,” he said. n

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

Education

School Board Committee Opens Review of Youngkin’s Model Policies for Transgender Students

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN

agustin@loudounnow.com

A School Board committee last week held the first of what will likely be multiple discussions over the next several months about Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s 2023 model policies and the division’s current policy that outlines rights for transgender and gender expansive students.

The Oct. 19 discussion on Ensuring Privacy, Dignity and Respect for All Students and Parents in relation to the division’s policy 8040 and Gov. Ralph Northam’s 2021 model policies was broken down into segments, with the first area of focus being on student identification, including names, nicknames and pronoun use, with a side-by-side comparison of that secton of each policy.

Committee Chair Harris Mahedavi (Ashburn) said he agreed with the way the review was planned to ensure transparency.

“I know as part of the Policy 8040 previously, it did go through the normal process, but I felt like it needed the right sort of feedback and community input and so I hope that this process would give the opportunity for everybody to provide their input and hopefully we can come to

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Student Services Committee members Erika Ogedegbe (Leesburg) and Harris Mahedavi (Ashburn) on Oct. 19 discussed Gov. Youngkin’s 2023 model policies for the first time since the policies were released in July. Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) was absent for the meeting.

a good place,” he said.

Department of Student Services Assistant Superintendent Tedra Richarsdon read through the student identification section of the three policies and outlined the policy review process. She said the

overall process would take three months or longer with final action being the School Board adopting a policy.

Mahedavi asked for the next meeting to include a comparison of how the policies align with current Title IX laws and

other laws in addition to the side-by-side comparison. He said he wanted to make sure the board had enough information to get a better understanding of what it can and can’t do as members go through the process. He also asked that the next committee session be scheduled for 90 minutes instead of 60 minutes.

Six people showed up to speak during the meeting’s public comment portion.

Five were in favor of the board quickly adopting the state’s new model policies.

One opposed it.

The critic, division teacher Andrea Weiskopf, said the 2023 model policies are not centered around the needs of children, but instead are centered around parents’ rights, which she said was a euphemism “for the empowering of an ultra-conservative minority to shape public education in their image.” She asked the board to stand up for public education and to not erase the identities of marginalized children.

Other parents spoke about their children feeling uncomfortable and stressed out about changing in the locker room with biological males or females and feared retribution or retaliation if they TRANSGENDER POLICIES continues on page 15

Dulles South Elementary School Attendance Zones Up for Changes

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

Four Dulles South elementary school attendance zones could see changes as the school division staff looks for ways to relieve overcrowding in some schools and plan for the opening of Henrietta Lacks Elementary School in 2024.

The recommendations were presented to the School Board during an Oct. 19 attendance zone overview for Henrietta Lacks Elementary School.

The four zones include the Westbury Glen and Arcadia Sunberry neighborhoods and part of the Hartland neighborhood that includes Lena Circle east and west, known as the Dulles South 6.6 and 6.9 attendance zones.

Another area recommended for change is known as DS08 and holds

the rest of the Hartland neighborhood.

The final recommended change is an area known as DS6.4 that contains The Greens at Willowsford neighborhood.

The proposed changes would move students in DS6.6 and 6.9 from Goshen Post Elementary, students in DS08 from Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School and DS6.4 from Aldie Elementary School into Henrietta Lacks and Hovatter Elementary Schools.

Henrietta Lacks Elementary School is being built on the Hovatter and Lightridge High School campus to relieve crowding at Hovatter. It will house students from kindergarten through first grade when it opens in 2024 and kindergarten through second grade after that. Hovatter will house students in second through fifth grade in 2024 only then third through fifth after that.

The two elementary schools share the same attendance zone.

Director of Planning and GIS Services Beverly Tate presented a table that showed numbers in each of the Dulles South elementary schools if no attendance zone changes were made as well as numbers if the staff recommended plan was implemented.

Several schools are already at or near capacity and six-year projections show some of the schools only increasing in numbers. Hovatter, for example, is projected to be at 129% capacity by the 2029-2030 school year. Today, it is at 115% capacity.

Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School is at 101% capacity in only its second year of operation and is projected to increase to 123% by 2029-2030 if no change takes place.

With the proposed staff changes, Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School is projected to be at 85% capacity six years from now and Hovatter is projected to be at 96%.

Meanwhile, Aldie Elementary School, which holds 120 students, is at 101% capacity and is expected to grow by 10 students to 108% in six years.

There were no staff recommended changes to Arcola, Buffalo Trail, Cardinal Ridge, Liberty, Little River, Pinebrook and Hutchison Farm Elementary Schools.

Tate noted that there won’t be another elementary school built in the area for several more years and the goal is to maintain the boundaries once the ATTENDANCE ZONES continues on page 15

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Transgender policies continued from page 14 spoke up about it.

At large School Board candidate Michael Rivera asked the board members to adopt the 2023 model polices with the same zeal they adopted the 2021 ones and said the polices in place protect a small percentage of students.

Attendance zones continued from page 14 change is implemented.

At Monday night’s public hearing and work session, only two people signed up to speak about the proposed changes.

They live in the DS6.4 zone and spoke in favor of the staff plan, saying their current elementary school is nearly eight miles, away while Henrietta Lacks and Hovatter were about a mile.

Tate said all students in DS6.4 who would be impacted by the change live on two roads—Peach Orchard Lane and Peach Ridge Court.

Serotkin said he had received emails

PAGE 15

“[Policy] 8040 was put in place and stripped the rights of large swaths of students and their parents for the sake of a group that is still to be defined in terms of numbers,” he said. “The number keeps changing, the definition keeps changing, and the School Board talks about making evidence-based decisions and there is no evidence for these decisions except partisan political ideology.”

Amy Riccardi, who is running for the Sterling District School Board seat, said

it was important that boys and girls have their own spaces.

“There has got to be an opportunity for our girls in our education system to be able to have safe spaces. We’ve had this conversation at the mosque with young women there. We’ve had this conversation with the Latino community. This is a really serious concern. I’m very concerned especially in the Sterling community with the issues with safety in our schools already and by not creating these safe envi-

ronments for both our boys and our girls in school we are really putting a lot of students at risk.”

The next time the School Board committee will discuss the model policies will be Nov. 16, after the election. What is planned as the final committee meeting to discuss the policies will likely be in mid-December before a draft policy is shared with other committees or made public for review and feedback. n

from families who live in DS08 asking if the elementary zone change would alter the cluster alignment for middle and high school.

Tate said the elementary attendance zone changes would affect the cluster alignment for secondary schools, but added that no attendance zone changes were being made to secondary schools in the area at this time.

She said students in DS08 represent 17% of the resident students who would be moved to Mercer Middle School and John Champe High School while the rest of the students zoned for Henrietta Lacks and Hovatter would attend Willard Middle School and Lightridge High School.

“We did acknowledge that and that is perhaps a flaw with the plan, but we also

acknowledge that Elaine Thompson cannot sustain the continued growth,” she said. “So, we looked for an area that could provide relief for Elaine for a longer period of time.”

“That was my impression as well at least for now because … if you leave those 290 students at Elaine Thompson then what you more or less have is the conditions without change where it gets to about 120% capacity by 2029 and if you leave them there and move a different planning zone instead I think it’s likely you have the same problem with just a different planning zone,” Serotkin said.

He added that he didn’t know how to solve that problem but asked that the staff continue to look at it.

The division is again using the

Virginia Tech Sanghani Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics to create its planning maps and anyone may create their own to submit to their School Board representative. Only plans that are sponsored by a School Board member will be discussed.

The next public hearing and work session will be held Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at 21000 Education Court in Ashburn. Anyone wishing to speak may sign up in advance.

Questions on the rezoning process can be emailed to LCPSPLAN@lcps.org or by phone at 571-252-1050. Those looking to find out which attendance zone they are in can find it on the division’s website lcps.org. n

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

358 Academies of Loudoun Students Earn White Coats Over 350 Academies of Loudoun students participated in White Coat ceremonies Oct. 18 and 19.

The tradition, which dates back to 2007, marks the beginning of health, science and medical careers for the students.

New medical students participate in the white coat ceremony at the beginning of medical school, according to Academies Principal Tinell Priddy.

“The ceremony welcomes those embarking on their medical careers into the community of healthcare professionals.

The coat itself is symbolic of the compassion and professionalism required of those who devote their lives to caring for people.

It sets a high standard. To me, it is a ceremony about beginnings. About the start of a journey, and about setting goals and aspirations,” she said.

Division Superintendent Aaron Spence, whose wife is an Intensive Care Unit nurse and stroke care coordinator, shared his understanding of the significance of the

Loudoun County Public Schools

All 358 Academies of Loudoun students who participated in the White Coat ceremonies Oct. 18-19.

ceremony and the impact healthcare professionals have on those they care for and the opportunities that lie in front of the students.

“Programs like the one you’re embarking on here at the Academies will continue to inspire you, whether you pursue a career in health care or another related field…

The opportunities available will strengthen your communication skills and prepare you to tackle real-world challenges,” he said.

LCPS Chief Academic Officer Ashley Ellis addressed the students who received their coats as part of the Health Sciences program.

“Look to your right and your left. All of

you come from different backgrounds with unique experiences and aspirations. Some dream of becoming doctors, nurses, researchers or healthcare professionals, while others steer toward other fields. No matter the destination, you collectively hold a common thread that unites your desire to impact the world positively,” she said. n

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Public Safety

Sheriff’s Office Announces Victim Advocate Unit

Judge Denies Motion to Set Aside Verdict in Dulles Mall Shooting Case

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

A Circuit Court Judge last week denied two motions to set aside a guilty verdict of unlawful firing of a firearm in an occupied dwelling in the case of a Leesburg man charged with the April shooting of a video prankster at the Dulles Town Center mall.

In September, a jury found Alan W. Colie not guilty on charges of malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and malicious firing of a weapon in an occupied building. They found him guilty on the lesser charge of unlawful firing of a weapon in an occupied building.

The conviction carries a sentence of up

to five years in prison.

Back in court Oct. 19, Colie’s defense attorneys made two motions to set aside the verdict arguing that there was not sufficient evidence to support the lesser charge, that the jury’s verdicts were inconsistent and that an error was committed during the trial.

The error referenced clarification given by Judge Matthew P. Snow to the jury during their deliberations, when they asked about a specific jury instruction related to self-defense.

Adam Pouilliard, of the Public Defender’s Office, said the clarification given by Snow could lead to “no less than three” varying interpretations by the jury.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Eden Holmes said that Snow’s response to

PAGE 17

the jury was direct, understandable, and legally correct.

Tabatha Blake, of the Public Defender’s Office, said that if the jury had found that Colie acted in self-defense, the same determination must be applied to the charge of unlawful discharging.

“The only way we can look at this is to say, ‘they found self-defense,’” she said.

Snow said it was not the court’s job to determine why the jurors gave the verdict that they did and that there was no way to be sure they found that Colie did act in self-defense.

Snow also denied a bail motion by Pouilliard to permit Colie to be released on bond until his sentencing hearing Dec. 21. Colie has been held in jail since his arrest April 2. n

The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office announced on Tuesday the launch of a Victim Advocate Unit within its Criminal Investigations Division as a pilot program to better serve victims of domestic violence before there has been a referral for prosecution.

“Our Victim Advocate Unit will be an immediate resource for domestic violence and other crime victims, who often don’t know where to go for help in highly stressful situations and before long-term assistance can be secured,” Sheriff Mike Chapman stated.

Examples of VAU outreach include providing referrals to juvenile support services, assisting with applications for the Virginia Victims Fund, and providing resources for those facing financial and housing challenges.

Initial staffing includes two sheriff ’s office detectives and a sergeant with experience in domestic violence casework and victim outreach. LCSO estimates it will require up to eighteen months to gather information and develop corresponding policies. n

SAFETY briefs Firefighter Injured in Aldie House Fire

Plea Hearing Delayed in Leesburg Patricide Case

The Fire Marshal’s Office determined that the combustion of construction materials caused a Tuesday morning fire that caused $420,000 in damage to a Kirkpatrick Farms home. A firefighter was injured during the response to the incident.

Fire-rescue crews from Kirkpatrick Farms, South Riding, Aldie, and Brambleton, as well as from Fairfax County and Prince William County were called to the Connor Court home after a 911 call reported the fire at 6:30 a.m. Oct. 24. Crews worked inside the home to extinguish the fire, which was found in the basement and first floor. A firefighter fell through a hole from the first floor into the basement and was transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries described as minor.

The home was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

Investigators found the fire started from improperly discarded construction materials. The Fire Marshal’s Office recommends that sanding and staining materials be placed into a metal container with a self-closing lid away from the structure or that rags be laid flat on an exterior surface to dry completely.

A plea hearing for Schuyler Lake, who is charged with second-degree murder in the April 29, 2022, fatal beating of his father in his Leesburg home, was delayed until Jan. 11.

Lake faces a sentence of five to 40 years in prison.

He was scheduled to appear in court Oct. 19 to enter a guilty plea in the case, however, his attorney told Circuit Court Judge James P. Fisher that Lake had “refused” to attend the hearing. She said she had heard the same information about another defendant that day and it proved to be untrue, but she was unable to determine if that was the case for Lake and had no more information.

Fisher said he would grant a continuance given the severity of the case and the possibility of mental health complications.

During a March preliminary hearing in General District Court, a neighbor said he saw Schuyler walking toward his father’s South King Street home the evening of April 29, 2022. His mother, Dean Lake’s former wife, said she discovered the body on the floor of the home on the morning of April 30, when she arrived to pick up his dog to take it to her daughter’s home in New York.

Evidence included blood samples found on Schuyler’s clothing after his arrest later that day, along with injuries to his forehead and right hand, and Schuyler’s DNA under his father’s fingernails.

Also entered as evidence were photos of the scene found on Schuyler’s iPhone.

Ashburn Woman Fatally Struck in Crosswalk The Sheriff ’s Office is investigating a fatal crash involving a pedestrian that happened Monday in Ashburn.

According to the report, deputies were called to the area of Old Ryan Road and Hammersmith Place in the Moorefield Green neighborhood just before 6 p.m.

Oct. 23 for a report of a crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian.

The pedestrian, a 75-year-old Ashburn woman, was transported to an area hospital where she died. According to the preliminary investigation, she was crossing the street in the crosswalk when she was struck by a Mercedes SUV. The driver of the Mercedes remained on the scene.

The Sheriff ’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit was investigating the crash.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Investigator T. Alpy at 703-7711021.

Family of 7 Displaced after Round Hill House Fire The Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of a Friday morning fire that severely damaged a Round Hill-area home. The family of seven escaped safely.

The Woodgrove Road fire was reported by a resident just before 4:30 a.m. Oct. 20.

Fire and rescue crews from Round Hill, Purcellville, Loudoun Heights, Hamilton, and Leesburg responded, with additional units from Lovettsville, Philomont, Ashburn, and Mt. Weather called to shuttle water to the site and provide rapid intervention teams.

All occupants were out of the house when crews arrived on the scene.

According to social media postings by the family, the fire was first seen in a sunroom at the rear of the home. The father awoke to the sound of popping and breaking glass. He was able to wake up his wife and five children and move them to safety as the fire quickly moved through the interior of the home.

The family is staying with relatives while preparing for the long process of rebuilding their home. A GoFundMe page has been established to help the Keller family cover their expenses. As of Tuesday, more than $32,000 had been contributed.

PAGE 18

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Politics

Supervisor, Constitutional Officer Candidates Highlight Priorities in NAACP Leesburg Forum

BY HANNA PAMPALONI

hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The NAACP Loudoun Branch, Loudoun County League of Women Voters and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority hosted a forum for Board of Supervisors hopefuls and constitutional officer candidates at the Douglass Community Center on Oct. 19.

The forum was separated into two parts with constitutional officers answering questions first, followed by Board of Supervisor candidates.

Supervisor candidates in attendance were Phyllis Randall, Sam Kroiz, Gary Katz for the at-large chair seat; Juli E. Briskman and Debbie Rose in the Algonkian District; Michael R. Turner in the Ashburn District; Sylvia R. Glass in the Broad Run District; John Ellis in the Catoctin District; Puja Khanna in the Dulles District; Kristen C. Umstattd in the Leesburg District; and Laura Tekrony in the Little River District.

Much of the supervisor discussion centered around affordable housing, hate crimes, and the preservation of green and open spaces.

Glass said that housing was a top issue in the county and that the board needed to be focused on solving the problem. “[We should be] making sure that our citizens who live here who are at a lower median income are able to live here,” she said. “We have our employers or small businesses, our medium-sized businesses who say, ‘we don’t have places for our employees to live.’”

“We have a huge unmet demand of housing across the spectrum, and I’d like to see us reinvest into a land banking policy for housing,” Tekrony said. “You know, Loudoun County doesn’t really have much land available to provide affordable housing, especially for lower income families, and I think we should be land banking for that.”

Turner noted the board adopted an Unmet Housing Strategic Plan that called for 16,000 affordable or attainable units by 2040, with 8,700 of them being new developments.

“We cannot build sufficient affordable housing on just new developments. We need to think outside the box,” he said.

Randall touted the board’s work over the past term, citing a dedicated half cent

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

The NAACP Loudoun Branch, Loudoun County League of Women Voters and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority hosted a forum for Board of Supervisor candidates Oct. 19.

of every local real estate tax dollar toward a housing trust fund and celebrated the opening of 858 new affordable rentals.

“Things that we have not done yet, that we need to do more of is yes, more homes of the whole spectrum, but also focus on homes for purchase and not just homes for rental,” she said. “Because homes for purchase is how you create generational wealth.”

Katz said he believed the Affordable Dwelling Unit program needs to be less expensive for developers.

“There are a lot of hard and soft costs that are associated with that and the feedback from the zoning ordinance is that the ADUs will be more expensive in order to create under the existing ordinance,” he said.

Umstattd said that the board has been dedicated to working toward environmental justice.

“We need to appreciate that perhaps the one way to ensure the protection of more open space is to create denser housing opportunities, especially around metro,” she said.

Khanna said her district had been “recklessly developed over the past 12 years.”

“Our district lags behind in basic amenities,” she said. “We don’t have parks. We don’t have open green spaces and that’s a huge concern.”

Briskman said the board has done a lot over the past four years to preserve green spaces and be environmentally sustainable in the county.

“We have an Environmental Commission for the first time ever in Loudoun County,” she said. “We just endorsed our energy plan, as well. We have a plastic bag tax to make sure that we reduce the use of plastics in the county. We just approved having a requirement for 85% of native plants in the new zoning ordinance. And we are also looking at more pollinator gardens in more developments.”

Ellis said tree cover and farm loss is a big issue in western Loudoun.

“We need to slow that down and we need to keep development from taking over all of the remaining open spaces in western Loudoun,” he said. “… The first thing I will do is propose a zoning amendment to reduce the number of new houses that can be built in western Loudoun subdivisions in order to preserve farms, in order to preserve open spaces.”

Candidates were asked by NAACP Loudoun Chapter President Rev. Michelle Thomas what an ordinance to fight hate crimes in the county would look like.

Ellis said that hate crimes were a problem on the rise with the political polarization across the country, but that he didn’t think the problem would be fixed by government.

“It has to be fixed by all of us,” he said.

“It has to be fixed by example. One of the things that I’m proud of is that I’m running as an independent. I’m reaching out to people across the entire political spectrum and I’m hoping to bring us all together so that we can reasonable conversations about everything.”

Kroiz, who is also running as an independent, said he wanted to reject hate.

“I just want to point out that I’m running against Chair Randall. I call her out for being corrupt, because she takes tens of thousands of dollars,” he said, before being interrupted by Thomas who told him to pass the microphone to the next candidate.

“We have to bring civility back. You will not dishonor that here,” Thomas said.

Kroiz during closing statements said he was running because candidates from both parties were corrupted by their party’s support before being interrupted again

by Thomas and told to pass his microphone down again.

Kroiz told Loudoun Now after the forum that he was not trying to accuse anyone of a crime.

“I’m trying to do things differently,” he said. “And anybody can be corrupted, I’m not saying that I’m going to be perfect … but I’m not taking any money from developers.”

Rose said that the first step was for everyone to renounce hate crimes and racism.

“It seems like this is a prevention and investigation issue. That maybe would have more effectiveness in stopping those types of instances and those activities than an ordinance,” she said.

The constitutional office candidates in attendance were Circuit Court Clerk Gary Clemens, Commissioner of the Revenue Robert Wertz and challenger Sri Amudhanar; Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj, Sheriff Michael Chapman and challenger Craig Buckley; and Treasurer candidates Henry Eickelberg and Robin Roopnarine.

Their discussion focused on ways they plan to reach out to and benefit the community.

Clemens said he partnered with the NAACP and was working to partner with parks, churches and social services to find better ways to connect with the Hispanic community.

“I just launched a self-service kiosk at the courthouse, where if you’re a client of the clerk’s office you can come get information out of the kiosk without even interacting with a staff member,” he said. “If this works, I plan to put these in CANDIDATE FORUM continues on page 19

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Candidate forum continued from page 18 public libraries.

Amudhanar said he thought the office could benefit residents by being more involved in the revenue process.

“We need to be involved in making sure that your revenue is as good as it gets in addition to just being able to tax you,” he said.

Biberaj said her office runs a robust internship program with high school, college and law school students participating.

“We created the Justice Academy, that is also for adults, and now the junior Justice Academy that is for youngsters who are high school age,” she said. “The biggest thing that we’ve also been able to do is make sure that we are communicating to the community from an engagement perspective on specialty courts. Because we want our community to know that we have services within the courts system.”

Chapman said he and his deputies were engaged with the community on a variety of levels and through various programs.

“We’ve been designated a model agency in many ways and it’s because of the service that we provide our citizens. … We have the worship summit. We have the

LOUDOUNNOW.COM child safety day. We do so many things to engage with the community,” he said.

Buckley said it was important for the department to educate not just the youth, but the entire community.

“We need to be out there and plugged in and have resource officers within our senior community, as well, making sure that we are protecting them from abuse as well as fraud,” he said.

Eickelberg said he would like to remediate penalties for residents who cannot make payments on time.

“There are things that we could do in terms at looking at whether we could do a ‘round up’ to real estate taxes. So, if my real estate tax bill is $7,342 I could round it up to $7,350 and that money would then be available to use through the treasurer’s office to enhance community engagement programs.

Roopnarine said he would like to consolidate payments into a single site to make it easier for taxpayers to use.

“I want to reduce the silo operations.

So, if we have 25 different departments, and each has a collection process. I want to bring that all into my department,” he said.

The final event hosted by the NAACP Loudoun Branch, League of Women Voters and Delta Sigma Theta will be held Nov. 2 for General Assembly candidates. n

PAGE 19

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

Nonprofits

The Arc of Loudoun

Former Loudoun Now Deputy Editor Renss Greene and longtime nonprofit development professional Robin McGlothin recently joined The Arc of Loudoun as Director of Marketing and Communications and Director of Development.

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has directed Parks and Recreation staff to establish equestrian trails at Banshee Reeks.

The Friends of Banshee Reeks (FOBR) strongly believes that equestrian uses should NOT be permitted on Loudoun County’s only nature preserve due to the known detrimental environmental impacts and damage to the hiking trails.

If you agree that horses should not be introduced to Banshee Reeks, please share your point of view with the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. You can reach the entire Board by sending an email to bos@loudoun.gov.

- Friends of Banshee Reeks

Email the Board

Learn More

McGlothin, Greene Join The Arc of Loudoun Two familiar faces in Loudoun and the nonprofit communities have joined The Arc of Loudoun.

Longtime nonprofit development professional Robin McGlothin has been named The Arc’s director of development, and veteran reporter and editor Renss Greene has joined as director of marketing and communications.

McGlothin, a certified fund raising executive by CFRE International, joined The Arc with more than 15 years of nonprofit experience. Prior to joining The Arc, she served as Insight Memory Care Center’s director of philanthropy, including leading the successful capital campaign to triple the organization’s day center, creating the fundraising Legacy Breakfast which continues today, and nearly tripling the nonprofit’s signature fundraising gala. She has also worked in development at the Carter Burden Network in New York, NY, Junior Achievement in New Orleans, LA, and Helping Children Worldwide in Herndon.

Her focus is on building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders and creating opportunities to give, support and engage with in the community.

“Over the past few months, it has been wonderful to get acquainted with the incredible people associated with The Arc of Loudoun—our dedicated staff, clients, students, board, and supporters,” McGlothin said. “I am excited for the work ahead of us to ensure people with disabilities, including my daughter with Down syndrome, have the resources and support to succeed.”

Greene joins The Arc after more than a decade in journalism, including more than seven years at locally owned newspaper Loudoun Now, during which time

he rose to deputy editor, won local and state journalism awards for his reporting and photography, and his photography appeared in national publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post. He has also been a longtime advocate for nonprofits in Loudoun, both through his journalism and through planning and hosting various fundraisers and serving on the Loudoun Literacy Council board of directors.

“I’ve known about and admired The Arc for years through my career in journalism, and I’m excited that I get to keep serving the most vulnerable in our community,” Greene said. “As I’ve gotten acquainted with the people and programs here, I have been even more amazed. I’m looking forward to telling our community about what’s going on here.”

“When no one else would, a group of parents started a preschool for their children with disabilities. That was 1967, and from this act of love The Arc of Loudoun was born. Since then, this nonprofit has grown and matured into a full-service organization with multiple programs that together provide a lifetime of opportunities for people with disabilities,” The Arc of Loudoun CEO Lisa Kimball said. “We are delighted that Robin and Renss have joined us in our quest to create a just, equitable world for people with disabilities by sharing stories and raising the funds that are needed for our students, clients, and families to continue to learn, heal, and thrive.”

For more information, go to thearcofloudoun.org, and support The Arc of Loudoun at thearcofloudoun.org/donate. n

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Data Center Industry Supports Scholarships, Veterans with Golf Tourney The DC chapter of the 7x24 Exchange held its annual golf tournament Sept. 25 at the Golf Club at Lansdowne, drawing a crowd of nearly 300 data center leaders and raising approximately $55,000 to support two philanthropic causes.

The chapter plans to use $30,000 to support its college scholarship program and $25,000 to help heal veterans and first responders through the Boulder Crest Foundation.

“This annual golf tournament is not just a fundraiser, it’s a celebration of the community network we’ve cultivated here in the data center industry,” Chapter President Karen Petersburg stated. “Each swing on the golf course helps foster the next generation of industry leaders and provides healing and hope to our selfless veterans and first responders. This event embodies our belief in the transformative power of people connecting, united in a common goal to uplift and empower.”

7x24 Exchange International was founded to support mission-critical industries that cannot experience interruptions in service. It also focuses on supporting data center professionals, especially through its DC Chapter.

According to the Uptime Institute’s 2023 data center survey, nearly half of the workforce is approaching retirement within the next decade.

“It is heartwarming to witness the outpouring of support from the data center industry, a sector that underlines the power of unbreakable connections,” Boulder Crest Foundation CEO Josh Goldberg said. “We are grateful to the 7x24 Exchange DC Chapter for channeling its efforts into Boulder Crest’s mission of healing and growth. Their support translates to more resources and programs that bring comfort, recovery, and strength to individuals and families who have given so much.”

Over the past 12 years, the DC Chapter has awarded more than $350,000 to more than 110 scholars.

“Our scholarships are designed to usher budding talents into the industry, nurturing their skills and preparing them for innovative careers,” Petersburg said. n

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

Dentists Join Candy for Cans Food Drive Over the next few weeks, area dentist offices will collect Halloween candy and convert it to food donations supporting Loudoun Hunger Relief ’s Thanksgiving distribution.

The Candy for Cans campaign is organized by attorney Natasha Gillis who specializes in healthcare.

“As a mom of two, community participation and awareness is a concept that I try to instill in my kids, every day. Part of being a good citizen is being kind and helping in any way that you can, from a

simple act of opening the door for someone to providing assistance to someone who needs a hand,” Gillis said. “On a larger scale, many residents enjoy the comforts that Loudoun County offers but there are a lot of people who need help with basic items including food. This shouldn’t happen here where so many people have abundance yet waste resources. We need to do better as a community to support each other.”

As part of the campaign, through Friday, Nov 3, Halloween candy will be col-

PAGE 21 lected at participating dentist offices. For each pound of candy donated, the office will match the equivalent number of non-perishable food items. From Nov. 4 to Nov. 20, the offices will no longer accept candy, but will directly collect donated food items.

Participating offices include Westlake Dental Care in Sterling, Bobbio Family Dental in Brambleton, Dental 32 Fresh Smiles in Ashburn, Morgan Orthodontics and Lansdowne Dental Care in Lansdowne, Round Hill Smile Design in Round Hill, and Let’s Smile Dental in Purcellville.

Learn more at thegillisfirm.com. n

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

Towns

Purcellville Planners Hear Possible Alternative for Vineyard Square

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Planning Commission last week was briefed by Casey Chapman of the Chapman Group on his company’s latest plans for the 21st Street downtown redevelopment project.

Chapman and his brother Sam Chapman presented the plans to the Town Council last month.

The plans are a possible alternative to the original Vineyard Square project that was approved more than a decade ago, envisioning 30,000 square feet of commercial space and 40 condominiums in a 65-foot-tall building.

“We thought, what could we focus on to make or to address some of the different concerns or a different angle that we’ve heard from many different sources? Whether it’s elected officials, the community, citizens, business owners,” Chapman said.

He said they narrowed the changes to three focus points: reducing the height, decreasing the size of the commercial

The Chapman Group

A rendering of a possible alternative site plan for the Vineyard Square project on 21st Street in Purcellville.

building and number of residential units, and modifying the design to be more in line with the architecture of downtown

VINEYARD SQUARE continues on page 24

Hamilton Council Considers 10% Utility Rate Increase

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Hamilton Town Council last week voted to schedule a public hearing on a proposal for a 10% utility rate and fee increase for users.

This would be the town’s first rate and fee increase since 2019, and only the second since 2014.

Council member Craig Green, who chairs the town’s Utility Committee, said 10% would likely only be a steppingstone to what the town needs, but that it would be a starting point.

“One of the problems was that our original move from 2014 to 2019 was relatively low. And so, re-baselining ourselves would be a huge leap. … Secondly, we’re still vague about the cost and the expenses that we need to fund. So, this is not the last rate increase that we’re looking at in the next 18 to 24 months,” he said.

One of the projects the town has been funding is an ongoing infiltration and inflow project to address groundwater flows

into some of the town’s aging sewer lines.

Infiltration after a storm creates higher volumes at the wastewater treatment plant, making the system less efficient. The town is working to reline the older sewer lines and help maintain the efficiency of the sewage treatment. The first phase is nearly complete with the second phase under design.

A second major funding cost for the town is its long-term contract to maintain the town’s three water storage tanks. The first year of the project included exterior cleaning and painting of the Rogers Street water tower and the town’s ground storage tank.

The town is also mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency to complete an inventory of lead and copper in the water system by October 2024.

Green said the committee had discussed hiring a consultant to provide a rate study and said he wanted more discussion by the council on surcharges.

“Are they there to cover operating costs? Or are they there to cover capital costs?” he asked. “… If we want to create

a utility system capital reserve fund paid for by fees, then that surcharge should be bagged and tagged as that, and I don’t think it is right now.”

Town Treasurer Sherri Jackson said the surcharges were being used to fund operating expenses.

The town’s current water rate per 1,000 gallons for up to 8,000 gallons is $5.71 for in town users and $7.71 for out-of-town users. A 10% increase would bring those rates to $6.29 for in town users and $8.49 for out-of-town users.

The town’s current sewer rate is $10.88 for in town users and $14.68 for out of town. The 10% increase would raise those to $11.97 for in town and $16.15 for out of town.

The proposal also would increase the surcharge cost of $19 for water and $13 for sewer to $20.90 for water and $14.30 for sewer.

The town collected $345,930 from water fees and $464,984 in sewer fees in fiscal year 2023.

The council voted unanimously to schedule a public hearing next month. n

AROUND towns HILLSBORO Campaign Launched to Preserve Fire-Damaged Church Building A group of Hillsboro residents is working to save the former Methodist Episcopal Church that was damaged by fire last December.

The fire was started by construction crews working inside the building, now used as a residence.

The church opened in 1858 and remained a worship center until 1971. The building then housed a variety of shops for many years. It was purchased for residential use by Don Hawkins and Cynthia Elliot, who were living there at the time of the fire. Hawkins died of cancer earlier this month.

The Save Our Steeple community campaign seeks to help the property owners and to ensure preservation of the building. Among the goals is to find volunteers to help move a collection of rare books from the basement to a safe space, establish a nonprofit to support preservation efforts, clear debris inside the building, and cover the fire-damaged roof.

Learn more at saveoursteeple.org.

MIDDLEBURG Town Hall Move Gets Underway The town staff is preparing to move into the new Town Hall starting Thursday, Oct. 26—marking the end of 21 months of construction on the 11,400-square-foot municipal center.

The town office will be closed to the public during the move Thursday. On Friday, most of the staff is expected to be busy finishing the move and confirming the functionality of the building’s systems.

The Town Hall is expected to fully open to the public and return to normal operations on Monday, Oct. 30. During the Nov. 7 election, the new Town Hall will serve as the AROUND TOWNS continues on page 23

OCTOBER 26, 2023

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

Ainsley Woellner, 8, smiles with her pumpkin entered in the “Funniest” category of Hamilton’s Fall Into Hamilton pumpkin decorating contest Oct. 21.

Hanna Pampaloni Loudoun Now

Hamilton Celebrates Fall with Community Party Community members gathered at Hamilton Community Park on Saturday to take part in the town’s annual Fall Into Hamilton party.

Residents participated in pumpkin carving and decorating contests and a Halloween costume contest. Vendors sold local baked goods, artwork and other products and children had the opportunity to participate in activities, a moon bounce and games. Other activities included glitter painting, a balloon artist and a popcorn machine.

— Hanna Pampaloni

AROUND towns continued from page 22

voting site for the Middleburg precinct.

The Town Council will hold its final meeting in the Town Office building on Thursday, Oct. 29. The next step in the project is the demolition of that building to make room for a new driveway and park.

PURCELLVILLE Artisan Tour Planned for Nov. 4-5 Local artisans will put out the welcome mat from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4 and Sunday, Nov. 5 for the fourth annual Purcellville Artisan Tour, sponsored by the Purcellville Arts Council.

The tour was created by local artists and agri-artisans who were interested in celebrating the town and the area’s numerous artists. Last year was the first year that the event exclusively featured artisans in the Purcellville zip code.

Participating artisans include: • 868 Estate Vineyards – Art of winemaking and hosting local artists at 14001 Harpers Ferry Road • Brian Kirk - Sculpture and

printmaking at 36607 Allder School Road • Patricia Stephenson - Fiber Arts at the Purcellville Train Station, North 21st Street • Ren Feliz-Durishin – Painting at the Purcellville Train Station, North 21st Street • Dana B. Thompson – Painting at 131 S. 29th Street • Lori DeMark – Jewelry at 551 S. Nursery Avenue • Geoff DeMark – Pottery at 551 S. Nursery Avenue • Otium Cellars – Agri-artisan with the art of winemaking and hosting artist Anne Stine at 18050 Tranquility Road • Blooming Hill Lavender Farm: Cyndie Rinek – Agri-artisan featuring works of visual and culinary art with lavender at 19929 Telegraph Springs Road • Shepherd’s Corner Farm: Rebecca Brouwer – Fiber arts at 38145 Howlands Lane Visit these artisans from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for demonstrations, tours, and pre-holiday sales. For more information, go to https://purcellvilleartisantour.com/.

PAGE 23

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 24

Vineyard Square continued from page 22 Purcellville.

“This [new plan] is a 15,000-squarefoot footprint. We opened up to surface parking in the back and then the residential units have come off the top of the building and been moved to the rear of the property, which is next to existing townhomes,” he said.

He said the residential space was reduced by almost 20,000 square feet.

“Though the number of units didn’t change much from 40 to 36, the square foot changed,” he said.

Vice Mayor Christopher Bertaut asked what the height of the residential buildings would be.

Chapman said while the design had not been completed because the plan was still conceptual, it could be 45 feet tall.

“I’m under the impression even in today’s zoning there is a 35-foot height limitation with a special use permit to go up to 45 feet. Those buildings would be asking for the exception to go to 45 feet,” he said.

Commissioners Jason Dengler and Brian Green said they were not familiar with the original plans, but were appreciative of the options.

Commissioner Nedim Ogleman said if the Chapmans were looking to “get it right” they should work within the current zoning restrictions.

Chapman said the zoning ordinance had changed multiple times since the original project was approved, but the project complied with the zoning rules that were in place at the time.

“So, that’s important for me to understand,” Ogleman said. “That it’s not about being committed to getting it right, it’s about making sure that you retain what you had gotten whatever that year was.”

Chapman said his company was looking to hear from town leaders whether this plan was something the they wanted to work toward.

“If the town or the residents or citizens or elected officials don’t like what is approved right now, we have a second chance. We have a second bite at the apple and we’re willing to engage. That’s why we’re here,” Chapman said.

“What I’m asking you is, ‘are you willing to have a conversation about a pivot that fits within the framework of our existing comprehensive plan and our existing zoning ordinance?” Ogleman said.

Chapman said the alternative plan was put together with the current zoning ordinance in place.

Commissioner Ron Rise Sr. said he

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Hail to the Trail The Town of Purcellville offered the opportunity for area residents to get closer to nature on Sunday as part of the annual Hail to the Trail celebration.

The event at the Chapman DeMary Trail featured the town’s Green Expo, with nature organizations and community groups setting up tables with interactive displays. It also served as the town’s annual Arbor Day Celebration, with town leaders planting three persimmon trees in the park and Virginia Community Forestry Specialist Lindsey Long on hand to present the town with its Tree City USA designation.

Liz Dennison, a volunteer with Secret Garden Birds and Bees, holds Little Red, a red-shoulder hawk that was rehabilitated by the organization.

thought the original Vineyard Square project was elegant and that was lacking in the new plan.

Ed Neham said he was interested in having more discussions on the project.

Chair Nan Forbes said she thought Vineyard Square was a controversial project and the main aspect of that controversy was its size.

“So, when I see you come and say, ‘hey, we have a proposal that would reduce the scale of it and rearrange it in some fash-

Norman K. Styeri/Loudoun Now

ion or order to bring it down,’ I personally find that very appealing,” she said.

Forbes asked what the next step would be and what the timing for the project would look like.

Chapman said he needed a clear path forward in the next three to six months or they would have to move forward with the original plan.

Forbes said the commission should think about the plan and that they would decide at a later date how to proceed. n

Obituaries

John “Jack” Beavers Jack died at his Leesburg, VA home on Aug. 1, 2023, at the age of 72. He was born on April 28, 1951, to Hoyt Lynn Beavers and Elenore Elizabeth Beavers (Clawson). Jack is preceded in death by his parents, his former wife Juanita Koilpillai (1963-2021), his sister Carol Joyce Beavers (1957-1963), and his older brother who passed in infancy. Jack was born in Pittsburgh, PA, where he spent much of his youth. He attended Monroe

Community College in Rochester, NY for his Bachelor’s. He graduated from the University at Buffalo, where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Tau engineering fraternity and earned his master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He stayed in upstate New York working as an engineer until discovering his talent for software design. In search of good weather, he moved south to Virginia in the late 80s, eventually becoming Project Manager at Aviation Technology Systems where he met his future wife Juanita. They later co-founded Mountain Wave, a smallteam cybersecurity company, contracting for the Air Force, DoD, and FEMA. Mountain Wave went on to architect the first real-time cyber event and incident management system to utilize artificial intelligence effectively. Throughout his career, he worked for major industry names like American Standard, Kodak, and IBM. Jack was a contest pilot who enjoyed cross-country sailplane racing for nearly 20 years. After the birth of his children, he switched to flying single-engine power planes recreationally and became

a commercially-rated pilot who occasionally copiloted business jets. He enjoyed flying his family to experience new places and adventures whenever he got the chance. Additionally, he volunteered for the Civil Air Patrol doing search and rescue, for Veterans Airlift Command flying wounded veterans and their families, and Angel Flight, providing air transport to patients and their families for medical treatment. Jack retired in 2022 and devoted his time to exploring his love for writing novels and spending time with his family and friends. Jack had a plethora of interests and hobbies which he often shared with his children, including SCUBA diving, kayaking, skiing, screenplay writing, and film. He was a history buff and took a special interest in the history of WWI and WWII. He loved sci-fi and outer space and often expressed that in another life he would be a starship captain. He enjoyed all kinds of music and was especially amused by the song “Infinitesimal” by Mother Mother (and much of their other music) for its tonguein-cheek, existentialist chronicling of the

cosmos. Jack was known for his love of apple pie, which he always insisted must be served cold, and his ability to shatter wine glasses with spectacular efficiency.

He was deeply fascinated with how the world around him worked, and he passed that fascination on to his children. He was also a philanthropist and cared deeply for the well-being of his fellow man. He is survived by his children, Tate Beavers and Drew Beavers, as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews. A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, at 2 PM at Waterford Old School Auditorium, 40222 Fairfax St, Waterford, VA 20197. The family asks that guests wear bright colors. All are welcome. Streaming services will also be made available and can be accessed through this link (https:// bit.ly/jackService) on the day of the service. In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to Loudoun County Rescue Squad (loudounrescue.org) or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (afsp.org)

OCTOBER 26, 2023

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 25

Obituaries

Ronald Christianson When the orders for immediate transfer came early, Rear Admiral “Rabbit” Christenson departed the pattern for his permanent duty station on the Lord’s staff in heaven on August 25,2023, entering into travel status, suddenly, at his home in Leesburg, VA, where he had been executing his previously directed retirement with his accustomed and well-documented aplomb. Designated Ronald Lee Christenson upon his worldly arrival on November 11, 1947, Ron honored that name with an outstanding work ethic which led to significant academic and athletic recognition, including, but not limited to, leading Mt Morris High to a Michigan football state championship and garnering offers from Dartmouth and Navy, entering the latter in June of 1965. Shortly after matriculating, though the actual date and circumstance is shrouded in the mists of time, he became known as “Rabbit”, a moniker which has endured. Rabbit was a Navy footballer for all four years, wore academic stars throughout, and established his position as a true leader. He graduated in 1969, with a BS in aerospace engineering and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, which he quickly converted into a Master’s degree at Cal Tech. Continually demonstrating his breadth of talent as a true renaissance man, he complimented his academics by joining his wife Mackie as finalists on The Newlywed Game. Rabbit then attended Naval Flight School and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1971, with his first stop at H-3 Readiness Training and assignment to Antisubmarine Squadron 15 aboard USS Guam (LPH-9).

Thereafter, in 1975, he reported to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1, Patuxent River, MD, followed by selection as an exchange pilot, serving with United Kingdom Royal Navy, as a Sea King pilot,

in Squadrons 820 and 706, Royal Naval Air Station, Culdrose, England. His next duty station was Administrative and Maintenance Officer, Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 5, aboard USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN-69); After a tour on the staff of Commander, Sea Base ASW Wings Atlantic, he became Executive and then Commanding, Officer , Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 7, aboard USS John F Kennedy (CV-67). In 1986 he reported to Naval Personnel Command as Aviation Enlisted Assignment Officer.

He entered the Nuclear Power Program in 1988, in preparation for his assignment as Executive Officer, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) in 1990. The carrier participated in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Desert Shield and Operation Provide Comfort. After assuming Command of USS Dubuque (LPD-8), Sasebo, Japan, in 1992, he returned to USS Theodore Roosevelt as its Commanding Officer, serving from1994 through 1996.

His final active-duty station was as Head, Carrier Programs and Aviation Manpower and Training Branches, Washington, DC. Upon retirement from the Navy, Rabbit joined Lockheed Martin, where he served in a number of influential posts, most notably as Group Managing Director of United Kingdom Integrated Systems, headquartered in Chichester, England. Rabbit departed the Lockheed Martin warren in 2011, but his retirement was from formal employment only, as he pursued his fishing and hunting activities, oil and gas and realty investments, golf with the Jim Calvert Group of the USNA class of 1969, Asian rug and “Blue Coyote” art collecting and traveling with his family and friends, with the same zeal that made him such an exemplary Naval Officer and corporate executive. In 2013 he was Baptized and Confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church. He was also a Trustee of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, the Sports and Athletic Program board of the Naval Academy Foundation and a member of the National Helicopter Association. He was constantly a man in productive motion. In the words of Toby Keith, Rabbit never “let the old man in.” Rabbit’s parents, Roy and Dorothy (Evelyn) Christenson, of Mt Morris, Michigan, preceded him in death. He is survived by his spouse, the love of his life, Mackie, the former Sharon McIntyre, two sons, Stephen Scott Christenson and Martin Alexander (Marty) Christenson,

of Alexandria, Virginia and Franklin, West Virginia, respectively, and his brothers, Gerald Bruce (Jerry) Christenson, of San Antonio, Texas, and James Craig (Jim) Christenson, of Fair Play, South Carolina. Rear Admiral Ronald Lee Christensen, Ret. will be laid to rest at the United States Naval Academy on November 9, 2023 at 10:30AM.

Peter Anthony Plasmier Peter Anthony Plasmier Sr., 81, of Leesburg, Virginia was peacefully called home to Heaven on Monday, October 23, 2023. Pete was born on June 12, 1942, to Peter J. and Anna Welsh Plasmier in Philadelphia, PA. He graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School and joined the Air Force in 1964 where he was an electronics technician. After an honorable discharge, he started his post-military career in electronics at RCA. Peter retired from Carl Zeiss Inc. where he worked as an Electron Micros-

copy Field Service Engineer.

Peter was a dedicated member and long-time usher at St. John the Apostle Church in Leesburg, VA for 47 years.

Over the years he trained altar servers, was CCD Director, event volunteer, Mr. Fixit and anything else that needed to be done. He loved the fellowship and service of his brothers in the Knights of Columbus Holy Family Council #6831, where he also served as Grand Knight.

Peter was loved by all and a cherished friend to many. He was kind and would help anyone without question. He loved football and cheering for his Philadelphia Eagles!

He leaves his family to cherish his memory including his wife of 58 years, Mary Jewel Plasmier, his children (Pete [Donna], Marge, and Judy) his sister, Anne Navarra (Joe), his grandchildren, (Kateri Plasmier (Will), Luke McKim, Alaina Plasmier, Brittany Summa, and Carrington Summa), great-grandchildren (Brianna, Grayson, Kinsley and Sheldon) and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his grandson Donovan Plasmier.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, October 26th, from 6-8 p.m. at Loudoun Funeral Chapel. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, October 27th at 10 a.m. at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church at 101 Oakcrest Manor Drive NE, with a reception after burial in the church social hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Prostate Cancer Foundation at www.pcf.org.

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

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

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T U O GET

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

LIVE MUSIC JUSTIN SUEDE 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26 Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com YAILIN LA MAS VIRAL 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 26 Rio Cantina, 21800 Towncenter Plaza, Sterling. facebook.com/RioCantinaSterling VICTOR TORRES DUO 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com DAN FISK 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 Little River Turnpike, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com SELA CAMPBELL 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. dirtfarmbrewing.com HILARY VELTRI 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com CHRIS BOWEN 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com SCOTT KURT 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Otium Cellars, 18050 Tranquility Road, Purcellville.

LAURA CASHMAN 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com FAITH DICKERSON 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com PENNTERA 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $15. tallyhotheater.com HAND PAINTED SWINGER 8 to midnight Friday, Oct. 27 Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 28

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Larry Roeder co-authored the book “Dirt Don’t Burn” with longtime friend Barry Harrelson. The book talks about the struggle for education within Loudoun’s Black community over more than 100 years.

Dirt Don’t Burn: 100 Years of Struggle for Black Education in Loudoun County

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

The Edwin Washington Society CEO Larry Roeder said he always intended to write a book about the research he had done on Black education in Loudoun County, but it wasn’t until a 2020 newspaper article highlighting his organization’s work and a phone call from Georgetown University Press that got the ball rolling.

“Georgetown Press came to us. They had heard about our research and called to talk about it,” he said.

He said once the university was sure the research was the “real deal,” they offered Roeder a contract to write the book and committed to publishing it.

Roeder, the author of several books and papers, said that doesn’t usual-

ly happen. In most cases an author is self-publishing or reaches out to publishers themselves.

Roeder, who grew up oversees and moved to Loudoun County later in life, became involved in Black history in Loudoun in 2012 when he was asked

by Pastor Carlos Lawson of Prosperity Baptist Church to document the history of Conklin and its Black school in South Riding. At the time, he said he didn’t know much about segregation, but got to work learning about it by talking with then-Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Edgar Hatrick. Hatrick gave Roeder access to thousands of school documents and asked him to create a more complete history. Then he asked him to document all of the Black schools in the county. That project attracted

volunteers from all over the county and came to be known as the Edwin Washington Project.

That yearslong venture was filled with the discovery of long lost documents, including photographs, class schedules, and handwritten petitions that detailed what life was like for Black students and teachers as they fought to get educated all hidden away in old Black schoolhouses and other budlings across the county.

Loudoun was one of the last school districts in the country to desegregate.

He and longtime friend Barry Harrelson, a retired intelligence officer, co-authored the book “Dirt Don’t Burn,” which details Loudoun’s Black community’s

DIRT DON'T BURN continues on page 29

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

LORRAINE RISE WHAT YOU DIDN’T LEARN IN SCHOOL

Career Coach and Purcellville local Lorraine Rise has been giving career and life advice to people looking to take the next step in their professional development since 2015.

Career Uprising, a play on her last name, has served almost 500 clients, carving out a niche with middle aged clients looking to change careers.

Now, she’s written a book to help professionals of all ages and walks of life grow into the people they want to be.

“What You Didn’t Learn in School: Lessons on Growth, Change, and Living Your Best Life” is a collection of 30 stand-alone lessons that stemmed from a podcast she started in 2018.

“The lessons are for everybody,” Rise said. “Everybody struggles with a lot of the same things. Everyone needs help knowing, ‘what am I good at? What are my strengths?’ Or having the courage to make a career change.”

With chapters covering topics like “Why You’re Afraid of Success,” “Your Job Won’t Make You Happy,” and “Imposter Syndrome” Rise said the book has all the lessons someone needs to get “unstuck” in their life.

“It’s about passion. It’s about finding what you really want to do and how do you want to end your career.

How do you want this chapter to go?” she said.

Her book is available for pre-order on Amazon, with a release date of Dec. 5.

“This book is for anybody who wants to know how to be the best version of themselves and how to find confidence and clarity in their career,” Rise said.

CHIP BECK FINAL DAYS OF HEROES Former Central Intelligence Agency agent Chip Beck is sharing his firsthand experience of the fall of Cambodia in his newest book, “Final Days of Heroes: How a CIA Agent and His Cambodian Allies Fought, Defied, and Resisted the Khmer Rouge.”

“It’s about the last year and a half of the existence of Cambodia. It details the fall of Cambodia to the communist forces at the end of the Indo-China war,” Beck said. “It specifically focuses in on the town called Khompong Thom in central Cambodia where I was an advisor, and the people who defended that town against the incredible odds.”

Beck wrote the story from his 11-acre farm outside of Hillsboro, using letters he wrote at the time, personal notes, and his memories.

He said he had planned for years to write the book but when news of the sudden death of a close friend he made during his time in Cambodia reached him in April, he realized it was time to stop putting it off.

FANK Lieutenant Chhun Tep was Beck’s intelligence counterpart during his time in Cambodia and they formed an “endearing and enduring relationship.”

Tep died during the last days of Phnom Penh and Beck promised to help Tep’s family escape the country–a promise he kept.

Now, Beck says he wrote the book to share Tep’s life with his children, many of whom were too young to have any tangible memories of their father.

“If for nothing else, I wanted them to know the story of their dad and the situation they faced as kids. They might or might not have remembered. At the same time, I wanted to educate other Americans just about what happened,” Beck said.

“Final Days of Heroes” is the first of a planned threebook series with another coming about Vietnam and a third on Laos.

The book is available for purchase on Amazon.

GOOD WORDS Fall 2023 Releases from Loudoun Authors Hit Area Bookshelves AUDREY INGRAM THE RIVER RUNS SOUTH Purcellville resident Audrey Ingram has published her first novel, “The River Runs South,” a story about love, loss and the courage to start over.

A former Washington, DC attorney, Ingram said COVID caused her to step back and slow down when she took a leave of absence. She said she began to realize that people around her, herself included were on the cusp of burnout.

“There was a story there of slowing down our lives,” she said.

Ingram began to write a story inspired by the benefit of slowing a busy life down and really connecting with the community. In her free time, Ingram loves to explore the Blue Ridge Mountains and decided to incorporate the value of preserving resources—both the resource of one’s time as parents, and the natural resources of the outdoors—into her story.

“I think my favorite response that I’ve gotten from readers is that it’s an emotional story that brings joy, and that’s what I really wanted,” she said.

PAGE 27 She said a theme that runs throughout the book is taking time to find connection with the friends and family that mean the most and that Loudoun County provides a place where people can do that.

“It’s a sweet southern story of starting over and finding your new beginning,” she said.

Ingram has already started her second and third novels with the next one set to release next June.

“The River Runs South” was included in Southern Living’s September fall reading list and listed in Amazon’s Best Books of September.

The novel is available at Ingram’s website audreyingramwriter.com as well as Amazon and a variety of bookstores including Leesburg’s Birch Tree Bookstore and Middleburg Books.

NICHELLE SANKEY AND THEN SHE BECAME HER OWN MUSE Round Hill resident Nichelle Sankey has released her first book, “And Then She Became Her Own Muse: A Healing Journey,” about her personal experiences dealing with loss and sorrow.

Sankey said her father and sister died within a year of each other in 2019 and 2020, causing her to take a “high level look” at her own life.

“My book is basically just calling myself out and realizing my own value, my own worth and basically not taking a lot of crap from people in life and just figuring out the parts I played in some of the pain I went through in my life,” she said.

She said when she first started writing, she didn’t intend to publish the book. It was just a way for her to process her healing journey and record her private thoughts.

“I just started being observant and I just took a notepad and I just started writing,” she said.

Sankey said she hopes people that read her book will be able to benefit from her personal struggles and the path she has taken to heal.

“I’m hoping that the people who read it, that it’ll give them time to be reflective and examine the places that are still tender and places that it will be a catalyst for them to determine whether they’re ready to heal or not,” she said. “I don’t have all the answers but that’s my hope, that something in the book will resonate with them.”

“And Then She Became Her Own Muse” is available at Amazon, Target and a variety of bookstores.

TOM MARSHALL WHY PARROTS? WHY AVICULTURE? Longtime Loudoun County resident Tom Marshall has released a book detailing his love of parrots and the benefits they can offer to the community.

His love for parrots began

GOOD WORDS continues on page 31

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Best Bets

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

NOT TOO SPOOKY HALLOWEEN HOEDOWN 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 River Farm allagesreadtogether.org

JITTER 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 The Craft of Brewing thecraftob.com

ENRAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Join the volunteers at All Ages Read Together for a night of live music, dancing, games, caricature drawings, mechanical bull rides, local barbecue and libations, and more for this fundraiser. Western wear or holiday costumes encouraged.

Jitter is a high-energy, classic punk cover band focused on upbeat tunes that will get any party started. Their song catalog spans decades of music, starting with the early ’70s UK punk scene, into the quintessential CBGB circuit, ‘90s California skate punk, and the later pop-punk of the 2000s.

The North Carolina-based band brings its tribute to Rage Against the Machine to the Leesburg stage.

GET OUT LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 26

THE JUNIOR BRYCE BAND 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com SYMPHONIC WINDS PRESENTS A TRIBUTE TO PERCY GRAINGER 8 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Christ the Redeemer Roman Catholic Church, 46833 Harry Byrd Highway, Sterling. loudouncommunityband.org WEEKEND @ BERNIE’S 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com LENNY BURRIDGE 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. fabbiolicellars.com FRANK O’HARA 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Fleetwood Farm Winery, 23075 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. fleetwoodfarmwinery.com KEN WENZEL 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Otium Cellars, 18050 Tranquility Road, Purcellville. otiumcellars.com DAVID THONG 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton. fireflycellars.com PEBBLES TO PEARL 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

HILARY VELTRI 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville. sunsethillsvineyard.com STANLEY WHITAKER 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Bleu Frog Vineyards, 16413 Little River Turnpike, Leesburg. bleufrogvineyards.com KEVIN GRIFFITH 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 8 Chains N. Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford.

8chainsnorth.com LAURA CASHMAN 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 50 West Vineyards, 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg.

50westvineyards.com DAVID ANDREW SMITH 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Twin Oaks Tavern Winery, 18035 Raven Rocks Road, Bluemont. twinoakstavernwinery.com JIM STEELE 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com ALLEY CATS 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Lost Rhino Brewing Co, 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn. lostrhino.com MELISSA QUINN FOX 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com ACOUSTIC MOOSE 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Forever Farm and Vineyard, 15779 Woodgrove Road, Purcellville. foreverfarmandvineyard.com MADELYN HALL 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyard.com RYAN STILL 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 Little River Turnpike, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com DAVID ANDREW SMITH 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Twin Oaks Tavern Winery, 18035 Raven Rocks Road, Bluemont. twinoakstavernwinery.com JASON MASI 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com SUMMER & ERIC 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com THE COOZIES 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com MO SAFREN 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com STEVE GEORGE AND FRIENDS 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com DAN BARRY 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com BECCA SUGG W/ZAHNA 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Loudoun Valley Church of the Nazarene, 35834 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. zahnaofficial.com

JITTER 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 The Craft of Brewing, 21140 Ashburn Crossing Drive, Ashburn. thecraftob.com NOVARIUM 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Adroit Theory Brewing Company, 404 Browning Ct., Purcellville. adroit-theory.com CHRIS TIMBERS & MIKE ECHOLS 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 1836 Kitchen and Taproom, 34 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville.

1836kitchenandtaproom.com enRAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St. SW., Leesburg. $15 to $45. tallyhotheater.com LALA ELAINE 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Tarbender’s Lounge, 10 S. King St., Leesburg. tarbenderslounge.com FAMOUS LAST WORDS 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com OKTOBERFUST AND 8TH ANNIVERSARY 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Loudoun Brewing Company, 310 E. Market St., Leesburg. $20. loudounbrewing.com ROWDY ACRES 12 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. dirtfarmbrewing.com WHISKEY DRIVEN 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

ROB HOEY 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. fabbiolicellars.com ZAC QUINTANA 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton. fireflycellars.com JEFF TAULTON 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com SELA CAMPBELL 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com SUMMER & ERIC 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrelbrewing.com CHESAPEAKE SONS 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Bleu Frog Vineyards, 16413 Little River Turnpike, Leesburg. bleufrogvineyards.com DEANE KERN 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville. sunsethillsvineyard.com ROWDY ACE BAND 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 50 West Vineyards, 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg.

50westvineyards.com SHANE GAMBLE 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford.

8chainsnorth.com

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

Dirt Don't Burn continued from page 26 struggle for education equality under segregation.

He said the book is meant to be the voice of the Black community—it’s their story told through their eyes using the documents he found to illustrate it.

He said having Georgetown University Press publish the book meant it had peer reviews from scholars of Black history in addition to the peer reviews by Loudoun residents who lived the history and contributed their stories.

“We interviewed a lot of local people and said ‘this is what I’m saying and I believe you’ve told us but correct me where it is wrong.’ Or ‘Did I get it wrong?’” he said, adding that he takes pride in getting the story right.

He said he welcomes critiques of the book.

“Read this, tell me if I got it right and if I didn’t, let’s fix it,” he said.

The title of the book comes from a letter written by Ethel Rae Stewart Smith, a Black school teacher in 1956 who asked then-Superintendent Oscar Emerick for coal for the schoolhouse’s potbelly stove because they had run out.

“Please send some coal up right away.

All we have left is dirt and that doesn’t half burn,” she wrote.

Roeder said Black schools at the time didn’t get classroom supplies like coal from the school division and often had to get creative to figure out ways to heat them. He said one school near Aldie had each boy bring a lump of coal every morning.

He said he met Smith and through their conversation the phrase ‘dirt don’t burn’ came out and with her permission he altered the wording. They named a 2018 conference after the phrase. He said the Edwin Washington Project team was inspired by “this modern young Black teacher’s courage to confront the school system leadership.”

Smith and the Edwin Washington Project were the subjects of The Washington Post article that caught the attention of Georgetown University Press.

He said the publisher liked the way the phrase encapsulated the emotion and disparity the Black community faced in trying to get resources and decided to name the book the same.

He said one of the goals in writing the book was to show the people and to tell their story and their struggles to get a proper education for themselves and their children.

He said another goal was to build awareness. He said it was important to note today’s Loudoun County is politically and demographically quite different from

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

the days of enslavement and segregation.

“The study is not about assigning guilt to the contemporary generation, but these lessons will help locate the formula for a necessary conversation enabling society to map new paths,” it states in the book’s forward.

The book shares stories of courage and perseverance—like when Black teachers and parents sent handwritten petitions to the superintendent asking them to install toilets in the schools, to fix things that were falling apart, provide equal transportation and salaries, and to hire better teachers. Many of the petitions would have been lost to time had they not been discovered in a former schoolhouse wrapped in red butcher paper.

“If they wanted to teach chemistry, they didn’t get beakers from the school system. Parents had to give them things from their kitchens,” Roeder said, noting that Black parents had to hold bake sales to earn money for their children’s school for basic materials that were provided to white schools by the division.

“They wanted all these things for their kids. You’ve heard the phrase yearning to be free this was yearning to learn. Education mattered,” he said.

He said the petitions from teachers and parents impressed him because they demonstrated an understanding of being a citizen with rights.

He said the response of the Black community was one of maturity.

“They were angry—clearly they were angry—but as a result of how they did it they were able to achieve quite a lot of equality,” he said, adding that they decided to work their way through it and bring people together rather than act out in violence.

“Dirt Don’t Burn” is out now and may be ordered at press.georgetown. edu/Book/Dirt-Dont-Burn-1 or through amazon.com.

He said half the royalties from the sale of the book go to the Edwin Washington Society to foster future research and, hopefully, more books on Black education.

Roeder plans three community discussions about the book. The first will be held Nov. 2 at Banneker Elementary School at 6 p.m., followed by a discussion at the Loudoun Museum Nov. 9 also at 6 p.m. The final event will be held Dec. 2 at The Historic Douglass High School in Leesburg. n

PAGE 29

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LOUDOUNNOW.COM

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continued from page 28 KEN WENZEL 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com ANDREW ODAY 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com BRIAN HARRIS 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com LOST CORNER VAGABONDS 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com JULIET LLOYD 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com GLENN & ARTHUR 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Bozzo Family Vineyards, 35226 Charles

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Town Pike, Hillsboro. bozwines.com KATE MACLEOD 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 High Moon Sanctuary, 4888 Ebenezer Road, Bluemont. jenzenproductions.com JOSEPH R. MONASTERIAL 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 The Lost Fox, 20374 Exchange St., Ashburn. lostfoxhideaway.com JASON MASI 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1 The Lost Fox, 20374 Exchange St., Ashburn lostfoxhideaway.com NICK MICH 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1 Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com HOLLY MONTGOMERY 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2 Plaza Azteca Mexican Restaurant, 1608 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. plazaazteca.com/leesburg

loudoun.gov

HAPPENINGS

VILLAGE AT LEESBURG MONSTER MASH 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. villageatleesburg.com

DULLES SOUTH COMMUNITY PARK PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26 Gum Spring Library, 24600 Millstream Drive, Stone Ridge.

PRISCILLA’S POTION PARTY-A HALLOWEEN MUSICAL 6 p.m. to Oct. 29, 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. $5 aplacetobeva.org/events HAUNTINGS 2023 6 p.m. to Oct. 28, 10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Loudoun Museum, 16 Loudoun St. SW., Leesburg. $35 loudounmuseum.org TALES AND ALES 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. $20 novatalesandales.com BIRDING SWEET RUN PARK 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Sweet Run State Park, 11661 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville. loudounwildlife.org ELECTRONICS RECYCLING 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Leesburg Park and Ride, 19730 Sycolin Road, Leesburg. loudoun.gov/electronics

GHOST 5K & SCARECROW SPRINT FUN RUN 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Merritt Properties, 44427 Atwater Drive, Ashburn. $20 runsignup.com PURCELLVILLE HALLOWEEN PARTY IN THE WOODS 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 Dillon’s Woods, 250 S. Nursery Ave. Purcellville NOT TOO SPOOKY HALLOWEEN HOEDOWN 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 River Farm, 16009 River Farm Lane, Leesburg. $15. allagesreadtogether.org HOWL-O-WEEN DOG COSTUME CONTEST + MARKET 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. dirtfarmbrewing.com PROFS & PINTS NORTHERN VIRGINIA: JAPANESE GHOSTS AND GOBLINS 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive, Sterling. $13.50. profsandpints.com FARWELL DONER PARTY 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 Döner Bistro, 13 C Fairfax St. SE., Leesburg. doenerbistro.square.site

BRIDLE PATHS HORSEPOWER FOR HEALING FALL FUNDRAISER 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, The Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek, 43285 Spinks Ferry Road, Leesburg. $100. bridlepathsva.org LEESBURG KIWANIS HALLOWEEN PARADE 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, King Street, Leesburg. k04757.site.kiwanis.org WRITING IN NATURE 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2 Morven Park Grounds, 17339 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg. loudounwildlife.com BOOK SIGNING W/PETE LAPP 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2 October One Vineyard Wine Tasting Shop, 7 Loudoun St. SW., Leesburg. $15. octoberonevineyard.com ALGONKIAN FALL COLORS SUNSET KAYAK PADDLE 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2 Algonkian Regional Park, 47001 Fairway Drive, Sterling. novaparks.com

NOVEMBER 18, 2023

5K Cross Country Run & 1 Mile Fun Run

Ida Lee Park Leesburg, VA

START TIME: 9:00AM for the 5K • 9:45AM for the Fun Run

*PRE REGISTRATION: 5K - $30 / 1 Mile - $15 • *RACE DATE REGISTRATION: 5K - $40 / 1 Mile - $20 *2 canned goods requested from each participant for Loudoun Hunger Relief

PRICE INCREASE NOVEMBER 12

DATA CENTERS

From here. For here.

Online Registration: www.prraces.com

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

PAGE 31

A man feeds a cow a graham cracker at Snickers Run Garlic Farm. Farm visitors could buy garlic, learn about how it is grown and harvested and feed the cows.

Loudoun Farm Tour Weekend Highlights Harvest Over 40 area farms and agritourism destinations participated in the 30th annual Loudoun Farm Tour over the weekend.

Visitors were able to check in at each stop for a chance to win a Western Loudoun VIP getaway package, sample and purchase farm grown produce, get up close with animals, see farm demonstrations, and learn more about Loudoun’s agricultural business.

New this year was a “Hop On, Hop Off ” shuttle bus experience that helped visitors tour sites in the Rt. 9 and Hillsboro areas.

Loudoun Farm Tours take place twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall and celebrate farming in Loudoun County. The tours take place the third weekends of May and October—planting and harvesting season— with farms open between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

— Alexis Gustin

People enjoy a hayride at Donner Farms during the Farm Tour Oct. 21-22.

Good words continued from page 27 when he was a teacher and a friend gifted him a parrot. At first, he didn’t know what to do with it and was intimidated by its large, sharp beak. But he started reading books and learning how to better care for it and train it.

Marshall said he realized then what good companions parrots can be.

“I want people to appreciate parrots and understand why they make excellent pets for people,” he said, adding that, while pets like dogs and cats may live for 10 or 15 years, parrots can live to be 50 years old.

Marshall said he wrote “Why Parrots?

Why Aviculture?” to help people understand how special the birds are. He

A mother and daughter take a donkey ride at Donkey Meadows during the fall Farm Tour Oct. 21-22.

A little girl wanders among the Christmas trees at Donner Farms on Oct. 21. The fall Farm Tour ran Oct 21-22.

said studies have shown that they are as intelligent as dolphins or apes.

“I hope [readers] come away with the fact that parrots are what we call sentient beings. They have very definite feelings,” he said.

Marshall also said he works as a member of the American Federation of Aviculture to make sure that owning and breeding parrots in captivity remains legal.

“We don’t import parrots from foreign countries anymore,” he said. “We don’t want to take birds out of the wild, but we do want to keep breeding them in captivity because we don’t know what is going to happen to them in the wild.”

His book is available at Leesburg’s Birch Tree Bookstore and The Global Local as well as Amazon. n

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 32

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Post your job listings at NowHiringLoudoun.com 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

Assistant Director of Capital Projects

Public Works & Capital Projects

$91,202-$171,917 DOQ

Open until filled

Communications Technician (Police Dispatch)

Police

$53,000-$97,651 DOQ

Open until filled

Events Coordinator

Parks & Recreation

$55,650-$104,900 DOQ

Open until filled Open until filled

Finance Director

Finance

$116,815-$220,197 DOQ

Laboratory Technician

Utilities

$53,000-$98,050 DOQ

Open until filled

Maintenance Worker I (Streets Division)

Public Works & Capital Projects

$51,000-$94,350 DOQ

November 1st, 2023

Police Officer

Police

$65,000-$104,000 DOQ

Open until filled

Project Manager for Construction

Public Works & Capital Projects

$81,012-$152,707 DOQ

Open until filled

Senior Engineer – Capital Projects

Public Works & Capital Projects

$74,596-$140,614 DOQ

Open until filled

Utilities Process Engineer

Utilities

$87,979-$165,840 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility Field Service Trainee, Technician or Senior Technician

Utilities

$52,000-$104,900 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility Instrumentation/SCADA System Technician

Utilities

$63,248-$119,223 DOQ

Open until filled

Flexible Part-Time Positions Position

Department

Salary Range

Closing Date

Library Associate or Senior Library Associate

Thomas Balch Library

$21.20-$37.55 DOQ

Open until filled

MAIDS NEEDED

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.

No evenings or weekends Pay starts at $15/hr NHLEmployerCard2.pdf

1

9/3/19

10:58 AM

Please call 571-291-9746 NHLEmployerCard2.pdf

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

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

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

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

Contact Info:

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

Katherine Hicks 305 Harrison Street STE 100 Leesburg, VA 20175 Send Resume to: khicks@meridiengroupllc.com (703) 777-8285

9/3/19

10:58 AM

Let us help find your next employee.

Construction Project Manager/Project Engineer

Qualifications

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Search, find and contact applicants directly on your mobile device or desktop. Manage prospective employees and resumes from a convenient secure dashboard

NowHiringLoudoun.com

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Legal Notices TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE SECTIONS 38-74, 38-124, 38-127 AND SCHEDULE OF FEES Pursuant to Sections 15.2-107, 15.2-1427, 15.2-2111, 15.2-2119, 15.2-2122, and 15.2-2143 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 6:30pm in the Town Council Chamber, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia at which time the public shall have the right to provide written and oral comments on the proposed revisions regarding water and sewer use in excess of the maximum allowable use through amendments to Town Code Chapter 38, Utilities, Sections 38-74, 38-124 and 38-127 along with associated revision to the adopted Fiscal Year 2024 Schedule of Fees.

PAGE 33

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

2004 2004 2008 2007 2004 2004 2020 2004

SATURN ACURA HONDA HONDA FREIGHTLINER CADILLAC FREIGHTLINER TOYOTA

MODEL L300 MDX ACCORD ACCORD BOXTRUCK UNK UNK SOLARA

VIN 1G8JC54F94Y510694 2HNYD18944H551236 1HGCP26828A037494 1HGCM56327A103880 1FV2CWAK04HM775528 1GYEK63N54R227691 3AKJHHDR8MSMC1174 4T1CE38P44U795548

STORAGE

PHONE#

ASHBURN TOWING AL’S TOWING AL’S TOWING BLAIR’S TOWING ROADRUNNER TOWING BODYWORKS TOWING ROADRUNNER TOWING LCSO IMPOUND LOT

703-585-8770 703-435-8888 703-435-8888 703-661-8200 703-450-7555 703-777-5727 703-450-7555 571-367-8400 10/26 & 11/2/23

The proposed amendments read as follows: Section 38-74 Water User Rates: add a new subsection (c): (c) Water and sewer use in excess of the maximum allowable use in a billing period shall be assessed a surcharge equal to twice the prevailing rate in the adopted schedule of fees.

1. If the average water use exceeds the maximum allowable usage as an annual daily average during the calendar year (or closest four cycles to the calendar year), the meter must be upgraded to a size accommodating the average daily average flow and the difference in availability fee must be paid. Failure to pay the availability upgrade, meter fee and/or make the changes necessary to complete the meter upgrade process within 90 days per Town Code Section 38-127 will result in a fine of $200.00 for each 10-day period the meter upgrade process is not completed, not to exceed $5,000.

Section 38-124 Nonresidential, Group Housing and Multifamily Units: amend subsection (c)1: (c) Triggers for nonresidential and group housing connection meter upgrade.

1. Exceedance of maximum allowable usage. If a nonresidential or group housing connection (installed after approval of the meter sizing policy) exceeds the maximum allowable usage as an annual daily average during the calendar year (or closest four cycles to the calendar year), the user will be notified in writing in January that this occurred and that continued exceedance for the next calendar year (or the closest four cycles to the calendar year) will be assessed a surcharge in accordance with Town Code Section 38-74(c) Water User Rates and initiate the meter upgrade process.

Section 38-127 Meter Upgrade Process: amend subsection (d): Failure to pay the availability upgrade, meter fee and/or make the changes necessary to complete the meter upgrade process within 90 days will result in any of the following occurring at the discretion of Town Council: 1. Fines in accordance with the town’s schedule of fees and Town Code Section 38-74 Water User Rates.

2. Apply a lien on the property.

3. Discontinuance of water service.

Amendment to the adopted Fiscal Year 2024 Schedule of Fees: FAILURE TO UPGRADE METER FINES First Offense

$100

Second Offense

$200

Third Offense

$300

WATER THEFT FINES First Offense Fine

$500

Second Offense Fine

$1,000

Third/Subsequent Offense Fine

$2,000

All persons desiring to speak will be given an opportunity to do so at this meeting. Written copies of statements are requested, but not required.

Copies of the proposed budget are available on the Town website and are available for review at the Town Hall between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays or by special appointment, holidays excepted. Call 540-822-5788 for more information or visit www.lovettsvilleva.gov. In the event the meeting is cancelled, the public hearing will be convened at the next regular scheduled meeting at the same time and place.

10/26, 11/2/23

ONLINE ALWAYS AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

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, December 13, 2023, in order to consider: NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT AMENDMENTS TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN FOR LOUDOUN COUNTY HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM AND SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENTS TO THE STREAMLINED ANNUAL PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY PLAN FOR THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Pursuant to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations at 24 CFR § 903.17, the Board of Supervisors hereby gives notice that it intends to conduct a public hearing for the purpose of considering and adopting amendments to the Administrative Plan for the Loudoun County Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program as well as significant amendments to the Streamlined Annual Public Housing Agency Plan for the HCV Program. The Administrative Plan establishes policies for Loudoun County to implement the HCV Program in a manner consistent with HUD requirements, local goals, and objectives contained in the Administrative Plan. The Streamlined Annual Plan provides information on current programs and the resident population served.

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

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

Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views regarding those matters listed for public hearing. Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, are encouraged to sign-up in advance; however, speakers may sign-up during the public hearing. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 777-0200.

For this public hearing, advanced sign-up will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on December 1, 2023, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on December 13, 2023. Members of the public may also submit written comments by email sent to bos@loudoun.gov. Any written comments received prior to the public hearing will be distributed to Board members 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

10/26/23

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

Schwinn Voyager GS bike/white body brown seat SN:0101tt115

SO230018727

10/7/23

20279 Doswell Pl, Ashburn, VA

571-367-8400

Red/Black Hyper Shocker 2g MTN bike SN: TZ22C037115

SO230019039

10/12/23

44505 Atwater Dr, Ashburn, VA

571-367-8400

10/26 & 11/2/23

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 34

Legal Notices PUBLIC NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) UTILITIES PUMP AND MOTOR MAINTENANCE, REPLACEMENT, AND INSTALLATION SERVICES The Town of Leesburg will accept sealed proposals electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia.gov), until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 16, 2023, for the following:

RFP NO. 500640-FY24-23 UTILITIES PUMP AND MOTOR MAINTENANCE, REPLACEMENT, AND INSTALLATION SERVICES The Town of Leesburg (the “Town”) is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified firms to provide pump and motor maintenance, replacement and installation services in support of the Town’s Department of Utilities water and sanitary sewer operations.

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

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) The Town of Leesburg will accept sealed bids electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia. gov), until 3:00 p.m. on November 16, 2023 for the following:

IFB No. 500620-FY24-15 Easement, Right-of-Way and Nuisance Ordinance Grounds Maintenance The purpose of this Invitation for Bid is for the Town of Leesburg, also referred to herein as Owner, to obtain the services of a qualified contractor to perform and furnish all materials, labor, tools, equipment and appurtenances necessary for utility easement, right-of-way and nuisance ordinance grounds maintenance.

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

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

JJ044816-05-00, 06-00

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

John Beers, father The object of this suit is to hold a hearing on Petitions for Termination of Parental Rights of Cathryn Beers, mother, and John Beers, father, pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Alexander Beers. John Beers, father, is hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and

LVCU 2023-0001, SPEARS DEVELOPMENT GROUP TO MODIFY COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE AND BUFFER REQUIREMENTS ON A LOT IN THE C-1, COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL, ZONING DISTRICT Pursuant to Sections 15.2-2204 and 15.2-2286 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, and Section 42-369 of the Lovettsville Zoning Ordinance, the LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing at 6:30pm on Thursday, November 9, 2023, or as soon thereafter as it may be heard, in the Lovettsville Town Council Chambers, 6 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia. Written comments regarding this item can be submitted to clerk@lovettsvilleva.gov by 3:00PM on the day of the meeting. Members of the public may access and participate in this meeting electronically.

The purpose of the hearing is to consider an application filed by Spears Development Group LLC of Lovettsville Virginia, to modify Zoning Ordinance Section 42-363, Parking Lot Landscaping, and Section 42-364, Buffering and Screening, to replace the required parking lot perimeter landscaping, and required Type C buffer and landscaping with a six-foot, opaque fence along the east side of the property adjoining residential properties. The 0.9-acre parcel is vacant and fronts on the east side of North Church Street on the north side of 7 East Broad Way (Truist Bank), and is further identified as Loudoun County Parcel Identification (PIN) Number: 333-15-1956.

All persons wishing to speak will be given the opportunity to do so at this meeting. Written copies of statements are requested but not required.

The proposed modification is available for review on the Town website at: www.lovettsvilleva.gov/ government/planning-commission/. You may also request a copy be sent to you via email by contacting John Merrithew, Planning Director at (540) 822-5788 between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays, holidays excepted. In the event the meeting is postponed, the public hearing will be convened on the next regularly scheduled meeting at the same time and place.

10/26, 11/2

10/26/23

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

10/26/23

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

OCTOBER 26, 2023

IN RE: ESTATE OF THOMAS GERARD BURSON, DECEASED

) )

Probate No. 20343

SHOW CAUSE ORDER time may result in the entry of an Order approving the termination of residual parental rights with respect to Alexander Beers. John Beers, father, is hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Alexander Beers; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Alexander Beers; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Alexander Beers. Further, John Beers, father, will have no legal and/or financial obligations with respect to Alexander Beers, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Alexander Beers for adoption and consent to the adoption of Alexander Beers.

It is ORDERED that the defendant John Beers, father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before November 17, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

10/12, 10/19, 10/26 & 11/2/23

IT APPEARING that all statutory requirements have been met; that the report of the accounts of Robert James Burson, Executor of the Estate of Thomas Burson, deceased, has been filed in the Clerk's office; that the report of debts and demands against the said Estate has been filed in the Clerk's office; and that more than six months has elapsed since the qualification of the Executor, on the motion of the Executor, it is hereby ORDERED that the creditors of, and all other persons interested in, the Estate of Thomas Burson show cause, if any they can, at 10 a.m. on the 10th day of November 2023, before the Loudoun County Circuit Court at its Courtroom, against payment and delivery of the Estate of Thomas Burson, deceased, to the beneficiaries without requiring refunding bonds.

10/26 & 11/2/23

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE The Town Council of the Town of Purcellville will hold a public hearing in the Town Council Chambers located at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia on Tuesday, November 14th, 2023 at 6:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following item: A Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning) regarding the property located at 200 South 20th St., Purcellville, Virginia. The property is further identified by Parcel Identification Number 488-27-9979.

RZ-23-01: Zoning Map Amendment application submitted by property owner, William Hombach. The rezoning request proposes to rezone the .65 acre above referenced parcel from Duplex Residential(R3) to Historic Office/Residential(R3-A). The applicant’s stated purpose for the rezoning is to permit a “Bed and Breakfast” use, as described in the Zoning Ordinance.

Additional information regarding this application is available for review at the Purcellville Town Hall at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia during regular business hours, holidays excepted.

At this public hearing, all persons desiring to present their views concerning this matter will be heard.

ONLINE ALWAYS AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

In addition, all persons have the option of sending an email to the Town Clerk, Diana Hays, at dhays@ purcellvilleva.gov, with written comments or questions concerning the proposed amendment. Emails sent by 4:00PM the day of the Public Hearing will be part of the written record for the public hearing, but may not necessarily be read aloud into the record at the public hearing.

10/26 & 11/02

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Legal Notices

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

November General Election Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Starh Rahimi Loudoun County Department of Family Services

Request an absentee ballot online: www.loudoun.gov/voteathome Absentee ballots ARE counted.

/v.

Friday, October 27, 2023: Last day to request an absentee ballot by mail. Applications must be received in the Loudoun County Office of Elections by 5 p.m.

Tuesday, November 7, 2023: Election Day ALL DROPPED OFF Absentee voted ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. (Virginia time) to be counted.

Monday, November 13, 2023: ALL MAILED Absentee voted ballots must be postmarked on or before ELECTION DAY and be received by the Loudoun County Office of Elections by NOON. (Virginia time) to be counted.

BALLOT DROP OFF LOCATIONS

Your marked ballot can be dropped off at these locations during the hours of operation noted below.

• • •

Loudoun County Office of Elections 750 Miller Drive, SE, Suite 150, Leesburg, VA 20175 Claude Moore Park Recreation Center 46105 Loudoun Park Lane, Sterling, VA 20166 Dulles South Recreation Center 24950 Riding Center Drive, South Riding, VA 20152 Carver Senior Center 200 E. Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville, VA 20132

Extended Hours:

Tuesday, October 24 and Thursday, October 26 – 8:30 am – 7 pm Saturday, October 28, 2023 – 9 am – 5 pm Tuesday, October 31 and Thursday, November 2 – 8:30 am – 7 pm Saturday, November 4, 2023 – 9 am – 5 pm

10/5, 10/12, 10/19 & 10/26/23

Rezoning Application TLREZN2023-0003 is a request by Valvoline and the property owner for a Zoning Concept Plan and Proffer Amendment that seeks to modify the approved layout which currently depicts a fourth drive-thru restaurant with the proposed Vehicle and/or Equipment Service Facility use. Proffers will also be updated to reflect the revised layout and carry forward any unfulfilled proffers.

Early Voting begins Monday, October 23, 2023 Monday, October 23, 2023 – 10 am – 5 pm Tuesday, October 24, 2023 – 12:00 noon – 7 pm Wednesday, October 25, 2023 – 10 am – 5 pm Thursday, October 26, 2023 – 12:00 noon – 7 pm Friday, October 27, 2023 – 10 am – 5 pm Saturday, October 28, 2023 – 9 am – 5 pm Monday, October 30, 2023 – 10 am – 5pm Tuesday, October 31, 2023 – 12:00 noon – 7 pm Wednesday, November 1, 2023 – 10 am – 5 pm Thursday, November 2, 2023 – 12:00 noon – 7 pm Friday, November 3, 2023 – 10 am – 5 pm Saturday, November 4, 2023 – 9 am – 5 pm

Special Exception Application TLSPEX-2023-0003 is for a Special Exception to allow a 4,000 square foot vehicle service facility with three bays, pursuant to Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance (TLZO) Section 6.5.2, Use Regulations.

The Subject Property is located in what the Legacy Leesburg Town Plan (LLTP) describes as an “Area to Transform or Evolve” on the Area Based Land Use Initiatives Map (LLTP pg. 72). The property is further designated within LLTP as a “Retail Center” on the Character Areas for Preservation and Change Map (LLTP pg. 76).

Additional information and copies of this application are available at the Department of Community Development located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (MondayFriday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Richard Klusek, at 703-771-2758 or rklusek@leesburgva.gov.

Saturday, November 4, 2023: Last day to vote an In-Person (early) absentee ballot.

Carver Senior Center 200 E. Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville, VA 20132 Saturday, October 28, 2023 – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday, November 4, 2023 – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

No weekday hours at this location

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.

Saturday, November 4, 2023: Last day to vote an In-Person (early) absentee ballot.

Judith A. Brown, Director of Elections & General Registrar 750 Miller Drive, SE, Suite 150, Leesburg, VA 20175

Website: loudoun.gov/vote

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Mohamad Wali, putative father appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his or her interests on or before November 15, 2023 at 3:00 pm

The Subject Property is located at 500, 510, 520, and 530 Compass Point Plaza and consists of 6 parcels totaling approximately 4.85 acres (Loudoun County Property Identification Numbers (PIN) 234-48-9448, 234-49-9931, 234-49-0318, 234-48-9803, 234-49-1584 (Portion of), and 234-48-8682 (Portion of). The Subject Property is zoned B-3 (Community Retail/Commercial District), and also lies within the Airport Impact and Limestone Overlay Districts.

Claude Moore Park Recreation Center 46105 Loudoun Park Lane, Sterling, VA 20166 And Dulles South Recreation Center 24950 Riding Center Drive, South Riding, VA 20152

Email:

Create Local Jobs

The object of this suit is to hold a second permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Starh Rahimi.

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, November 2, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Rezoning application TLREZN2023-0003 The Shops at Compass Creek and TLSPEX2023-0003 Compass Creek Valvoline.

Office of Elections 750 Miller Drive, SE, Suite 150, Leesburg, VA 20175 Regular Hours – Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

FAX: 703 777-0622

Shop LoCo

Mohamad Wali, putative father

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER REZONING APPLICATION TLREZN2023-0003 THE SHOPS AT COMPASS CREEK AND SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION TLSPEX2023-0003 COMPASS CREEK VALVOLINE

SATELLITE ABSENTEE (EARLY) VOTING LOCATIONS

TELEPHONE: 703-777-0380

JJ046179-05-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

SAMPLE BALLOTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE MAIL ABSENTEE VOTING

•

PAGE 35

TDD: 711

10/19 & 10/26

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 36

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Legal Notices TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER REZONING APPLICATION TLZM-2022-0010 VILLAGE AT LEESBURG LAND BAYS D&E 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, NOVEMBER 2, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Rezoning application TLZM-2022-0010, Village at Leesburg Land Bays D&E. The Subject Property is located at 42830 Golf Club Road and 1749 Russell Branch Parkway SE and consists of 2 parcels totaling approximately 33.77 acres (Loudoun County Property Identification Numbers (PIN) 149-19-2542 and 150-49-0155 (Portion of)). The Subject Property is zoned I-1 (Industrial / Research Park District).

Rezoning Application TLZM-2022-0010 is a request by Springfield East, LC to amend the Concept Plan and Proffers for the subject property to allow for data centers and additional uses permitted in the I-1 zoning district.

The Subject Property is located in what the Legacy Leesburg Town Plan (LLTP) describes as an “Area to Transform or Evolve” on the Area Based Land Use Initiatives Map (LLTP pg. 72). The property is further designated within LLTP as “Business and Industrial” on the Character Areas for Preservation and Change Map (LLTP pg. 76).

There is no Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) for commercial uses associated with a Business and Industrial community within LLTP. The Site is further designated as “Office/Light Industrial” in the Eastern Gateway District Small Area Plan. No specific commercial F.A.R. is proposed.

The application includes requested modifications to the landscape and buffer requirements of the Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance (TLZO) regulations.

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISISON PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ZONING ORDINANCE REGARDING “CONGRETAGE HOUSING” Pursuant to Sections 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, NOVEMBER 2, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 to consider Zoning Ordinance Amendment TLZNOA2023-0005.

Additional information and copies of this application are available at the Department of Community Development located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (MondayFriday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Richard Klusek, at 703-771-2758 or rklusek@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.

10/19 & 10/26

This application will amend several sections of the Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance to define “Congregate Housing”, identify appropriate zoning districts, and create use standards.

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL COMPETITIVE BIDS FOR:

Copies and additional information regarding this proposed Zoning Ordinance amendment 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 calling 703-771-2765 and asking for Shelby Miller, Planner-Zoning Administration. Mrs. Miller can also be reached by email at samiller@leesburgva.gov.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRE & RESCUE STORAGE BUILDINGS, IFB No. 638808 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, November 21, 2023.

At this hearing all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodation should contact the Clerk of Commission at (703) 771-2434, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

10/19 & 10/26

BE

ACCEPTING

SEALED

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. 10/26/23

ONLINE ALWAYS AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

A message to Loudoun County Property Owners regarding the Land Use Assessment Program

Public Notice The Town of Leesburg Board of Zoning Appeals The Town of Leesburg is soliciting applications for an appointment to serve on the Board of Zoning Appeals. This position is appointed by the Loudoun County Circuit Court to a five-year term ending December 31, 2028.

The Board of Zoning Appeals meets as necessary the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA. Additional information concerning this quasijudicial board is available from the Clerk of Council during normal business hours (Mon – Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at 703-771-2733, eboeing@leesburgva.gov, or the Town of Leesburg website at www.leesburgva.gov.

If interested, complete an online application on the Town Web site: https://www.leesburgva.gov/ government/boards-and-commissions. Online applications are due by 5:00 p.m., October 27, 2023.

All applications will be forwarded to the Loudoun County Circuit Court for consideration and appointment.

10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26/23

Loudoun County Public Schools Fall 2023 Elementary School Attendance Zone Process for Dulles South Area Henrietta Lacks Elementary School (ES-32) will open in fall 2024, with the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. The school is co-located on the Lightridge High School/Hovatter Elementary School campus at 41125 Collaboration Drive in Aldie.

PAGE 37

Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue The Land Use Assessment Program provides for the deferral of real estate taxes on property that meets certain agricultural, horticultural, forestry, or open space use criteria.

•

First Time Applicants: must submit an application and the required fee no later than November 1, 2023. Applications are available online, in my office, or can be mailed directly to you.

•

Existing Land Use Program Participants: if your property is currently enrolled in the program, you are only required to renew your land use status every 6th year. Existing Land Use Assessment Program participants must submit a renewal form, documentation supporting the bona fide production income for agricultural and horticultural land use, and the required fee, no later than November 1, 2023. Participants who are up for renewal will be mailed their forms the first week of September (you may check your renewal year at www.loudoun.gov/parceldatabase by entering the property’s address, or parcel identification number, and selecting the LAND USE STATUS tab). Properties showing a Reval/Recert Year of 2018 are up for renewal this year.

An additional deferral of taxes may be available to current Land Use Program participants if they sign, and record, an agreement to keep the property in its qualifying use for more than 5 years, but not exceeding 20 years. The commitment must be filed with my office no later than November 1, 2023, and recorded in the Loudoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court´s office no later than December 15, 2023.

DEADLINES

The Loudoun County School Board has scheduled a series of meetings to facilitate the review of Dulles South area elementary school attendance zones in conjunction with the opening of the new school. The current boundaries for Aldie, Arcola, Buffalo Trail, Cardinal Ridge, Elaine E. Thompson, Goshen Post, Hovatter, Hutchison Farm, Liberty, Little River and Pinebrook Elementary Schools will be reviewed in the attendance zone process.

Applications submitted between November 2, 2023, but prior to December 5, 2023, are subject to a $300 per parcel late filing fee in addition to the standard filing fee.

Date

Time

Elementary School Attendance Zone Meeting

Applications will NOT be accepted after December 5, 2023.

Thursday, October 19, 2023

7:00 p.m.

School Board Attendance Zone Overview

Monday, October 23, 2023

7:00 p.m.

School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing & Work Session

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

7:00 p.m.

School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing & Work Session

Tuesday, November 28, 2023*

6:30 p.m.

School Board Review of Elementary School Attendance Zone Recommendations (Information Item)

Monday, December 4, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Staff Briefing & School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing

Tuesday, December 12, 2023*

6:30 p.m.

School Board Adoption of Elementary School Attendance Zones

*Regular School Board Business Meeting The meetings will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn) and broadcast live on Comcast channel 18 and Verizon Fios channel 43, as well as viewable via simultaneous webcast on the Loudoun County Public Schools website (www. lcps.org/webcast).

Attendance zone information and data, as it becomes available (including potential attendance zone plans being considered or reviewed by the School Board), will be posted on the ‘Fall 2023 – Dulles South Area Elementary School Attendance Zone Process’ webpage (www.lcps.org/Page/236731).

Detail on how to sign up to speak at the identified public hearings is provided at www.lcps.org/ Page/223425. In-person sign-up will also be available between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., on the evening of each attendance zone hearing.

Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate meaningfully in the School Board meetings or public hearings should contact the Superintendent’s Office at 571-252-1020 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

Beverly I. Tate, Director Loudoun County Public Schools Division of Planning & GIS Services 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1050 Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG 10/5/2023, 10/12/2023, 10/19/2023, 10/26/2023, 11/2/2023, 11/9/2023, 11/16/2023, 11/23/2023, 11/30/2023, 12/7/2023

Applications must be submitted no later than November 1, 2023, to avoid late filing fees.

FILING FEES Received, or postmarked, by November 1, 2023 • $125 plus $1 per acre or portion thereof Received, or postmarked, between November 2 and December 5, 2023 • $125 plus $1 per acre or portion thereof plus a $300 per parcel late filing fee

Online: www.loudoun.gov/landuse Email: landuse@loudoun.gov Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, M - F Phone: (703) 737-8557 Mailing Address PO Box 8000 MSC 32 Leesburg, VA 20177-9804 Overnight Deliveries 1 Harrison Street, SE, MSC 32 Leesburg, VA 20175-3102 Leesburg Office 1 Harrison Street, SE 1st Floor Leesburg, VA 20175 Sterling Office 46000 Center Oak Plaza Sterling, VA 20166 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19 & 10/26/23

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 38

OCTOBER 26, 2023

Legal Notices NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Loudoun County Public Schools

The LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION will conduct a public hearing during its work session on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on the first floor of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia. The items proposed for public hearing during this work session are as follows:

LEGI-2023-0031, TILLETT’S VIEW: ZMAP-2022-0003 & ZMOD-2022-0015 (Zoning Map Amendment & Zoning Modifications)

Pulte Home Company LLC has submitted applications for a zoning map amendment and zoning modification for approximately 49.6 acres of land located east of Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659), North of Waxpool Road (Route 900), and west of Ashburn Tillett Drive, in the Broad Run Election District (the “Subject Property”). The Subject Property is more particularly identified as: PIN

PROPERTY ADDRESS

TAX MAP NUMBER

156-26-4485-000

42550 Waxpool Road, Ashburn, Virginia

/78///2/////3/

156-36-8717-000

42594 Waxpool Road, Ashburn, Virginia

/78////////37/

156-36-3643-000

21768 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn, Virginia

/78///2/////2/

156-47-3301-000

42656 Waxpool Road, Ashburn, Virginia

/78////////38/

For ZMAP-2022-0003, the applicant seeks to rezone approximately 49.6 acres from R-1 (Single Family Residential) and RC (Rural Commercial) zoning districts to the R-8 (Single Family Residential) and R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential) zoning districts in order to develop up to 156 single family detached units, 103 single family attached units, and 148 multifamily stacked units at an overall density of 8.2 dwelling units per acre. For ZMOD-2022-0015, the applicant seeks a zoning modification for various regulations affecting the Subject Property including but not limited to reducing the required setback from arterial roadways from 100 feet to 75 feet.

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

Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www.loudoun.gov/pc. For further information, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703777-0246 (option 5).

Park View High School Community Meeting/Listening Session November 1, 2023 Loudoun County Public Schools will be holding a meeting with the Park View High School community on the design of their new school on November 1, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria.

This listening session will continue the conversation with students, staff, parents, and the community to receive input on the replacement school. The November 1 meeting will review potential concept designs.

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

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

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

Kevin L. Lewis, Chief Operations Officer Loudoun County Public Schools Department of Support Services 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1385 Email: ParkViewReplacement@LCPS.org 10/19 & 10/26/23

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

JJ046742-02-00, 04-00, 05-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Ava May Harmony

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

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views during the public hearing portion of the work session. Public comment will be received only for those items listed for public hearing.

Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, are encouraged to sign-up in advance; however, speakers may sign-up during the hearing. If you wish to sign-up in advance, please call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 (option 5) prior to 12:00 PM on the day of the work session; however, speakers may also sign-up at the work session.

Written comments concerning any item before the Commission are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Loudoun County Planning Commission, P.O. Box 7000 Leesburg, VA 20177-7000, or by e-mail to loudounpc@loudoun.gov. If written comments are presented at the hearing, please provide ten (10) copies for distribution to the Commission and for the Clerk’s records. Members of the public may also submit comments on land use items electronically at loudoun.gov/landapplications. Any individual representing and/or proposing to be the sole speaker on behalf of a citizen’s organization or civic association is encouraged to contact the Department of Planning and Zoning prior to the date of the work session to request additional time to speak on behalf of such organization.

Unknown Father

Regularly scheduled Planning Commission work sessions are held on the second Thursday of each month.

In the event the work session cannot be conducted on that date due to weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend the work session, the work session may be continued to the third Tuesday of the month. In the event the work session may not be held on the third Tuesday due to weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend the work session, the work session may be continued to the Thursday following the third Tuesday.

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

BY ORDER OF:

/v.

The object of this suit is to hold a 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 Ava May Harmony and hold a hearing on the Petitions for Termination of Parental Rights of Johnette Mae Nickens, mother, and Unknown Father pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Ava May Harmony.

Unknown Father is hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time

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It is ORDERED that the defendant Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before November 6, 2023 at 11:00am (PPH) & November 29, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. (TPR) 10/26, 11/2, 11/9 & 11/16/23

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may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of his residual parental rights with respect to Ava May Harmony. Unknown Father is hereby further notified that if his residual parental rights are terminated, he will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Ava May Harmony; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Ava May Harmony; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Ava May Harmony.

Further, Unknown Father, will have no legal and /or financial obligations with respect to Ava May Harmony, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Ava May Harmony for adoption and consent to the adoption of Ava May Harmony..

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Invasives continued from page 1 replace them with native species?” he asked. “We envision that the program would start year one by hiring consultants and experts in the field to scope the level of the problem and outline the project.

Some form of education would likely be needed, and materials posted to inform entities of how to remove and replace invasives.”

Ashburn resident Michael Littman said he had talked with representatives from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation who had told him that the problem with invasive species was a state and nationwide issue.

“We can do this, and we are motivated,” he said. “We are looking to you the Board of Supervisors for help, to help us tackle this serious and growing issues.

We need your help, financial support, and leadership.”

Tuscarora High School senior Leo McCormick said about 30,000 Bradford pear trees surround his school and that they crowded out native species.

“It takes about $500 to $1000 to remove a Bradford pear tree,” he said. “And even once they’re cut, they will sprout from their roots and produce 10 more where they fall, making them expensive and time consuming to deal with.”

Winemaker Bill Hatch, whose family owns Zephaniah Farm Vineyard, said invasive species pose a serious threat to wineries in Loudoun.

“This is the very first time I’ve ever seen this kind of initiative from an HOA collective and I have been blown away by what the initiators and the HOAs have done and want to do collectively to take on this challenge.

— Gem Bingol Piedmont Environmental Council Hanna Pampaloni /Loudoun Now

The Bradford Pear Tree is an invasive species that has taken hold in Loudoun County.

“We’ve been struggling with new invasive pests every decade for the last 50 years that I can remember,” he said. “These pests are problematic on our farm and also problematic on homes across Loudoun County … now we’re facing the Spotted Lanternfly which is a nuisance. But more than that, in our communities it’s also affecting our wines, our grapevines. … we’re worried about next year.”

Piedmont Environmental Council representative Gem Bingol said the organization supported the effort and collabora-

tion of the county HOAs. “This is the very first time I’ve ever seen this kind of initiative from an HOA collective and I have been blown away by what the initiators and the HOAs have done and want to do collectively to take on this challenge.

A motion, put together by supervisors Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) and Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) to authorize county staff to look into starting an invasive species removal program and assess the financial impacts of such a pro-

gram passed 7-0-2 with Caleb E. Kershner (R-Catoctin) and Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) absent.

Turner said he was excited to see what the program could turn into and expected it would likely be a decade-long endeavor. He said there are some legal requirements that prevent the board from spending taxes on improving private property, but that by directing staff to look into the possibilities, the county would likely be able to help with finding grants for the program. n

of how the development fits with son said the new station was important redevelopment options should not be the Philmont Fire Station review to provide the most efficient response focus of the commission’s work. Mark the surrounding community. continued from page 3

Several speakers at the hearing also noted similarities between the community fight against the new Philomont station and recent controversies involving county government plans to build a new fire station in Aldie and to convert Mickie Gordon Memorial Park into a cricket complex. Both of those proposals were eventually withdrawn in the face of community opposition. The county’s community engagement process isn’t working, they said.

The fire station requires a commission permit documenting its conformance with the public facilities policies of the county’s comprehensive plan and a special exception permit that requires a

County planners are recommending approval of both permits, finding no issues remain outstanding for the project. However, critics said the project’s scale and location conflict with the county’s comprehensive plan policies that seek to preserve the character of the county’s historic villages.

Philomont Fire Chief Rick Pearsall said that plans to build a new station on the horse show grounds, a seven-acre tract owned by the fire company, have been in the works since 2013. He noted the proposed station would be smaller and less expensive than the other fire-rescue stations being built to serve western Loudoun communities in Round Hill, Lovettsville and Aldie.

Fire-Rescue System Chief Keith John-

and the best health and safety for the first responders serving there. Any effort to change the design of the station could undermine important programmatic elements that are critical to response times, he said.

Those concerns have been cited as key reasons that community advocated proposals to modernize and expand the current fire station have been deemed infeasible by the county staff.

The commission voted unanimously to support a motion by Roger Vance (Blue Ridge) to move the applications to a future work session to take a deeper look, with a majority saying they wanted to learn more about options to reuse the current site.

However, two commissioners said

Miller (Catoctin) said the commission should follow the recommendations of the fire-rescue leadership. John Merrithew (Sterling) said it should be the commission’s role to review and improve the development plans as submitted for the showgrounds.

Vance said he hoped the commission would make the final project—whether at the existing site or at the showgrounds—a better fit for the community.

No date was set for a work session on the applications.

Following the commission’s review, the applications will move to the Board of Supervisors for another public hearing and final action.

The county’s construction plans envision the new station opening in 2027. n

OCTOBER 26, 2023

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

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Dream Big continued from page 1 school division’s Job for a Day program, which with Inova Loudoun also participates. Dream Big is different in that it focuses on diversity and inclusion and bringing healthcare to students who may not have thought the industry was for them.

“It’s saying, ‘hey, do you like to play on your phone? Do you like technology?

You can design a computer system for the hospital,’” Braun said. “It’s opening those thought processes that there are different ways of lighting that light bulb in different cultures, different ethnicities because a lot of our population today have not thought about healthcare as a potential opportunity.”

Job for a Day, which was created by the Loudoun School-Business Partnership Executive Council, gives high school juniors and seniors a chance to explore career opportunities by shadowing an individual or a business organization for a day. Inova Loudoun has participated in Job for a Day for over 20 years.

Braun said she hopes the students will come away from the Dream Big experience with a greater curiosity and desire to explore jobs in healthcare once they graduate.

Students went through three rotations—exploring the heart and vascular unit, physical therapy unit, and a trauma class called Stop the Bleed that gave students hands-on experience in stopping blood loss in a severely injured person.

They then met with mentors, including doctors, technicians, and secretaries, to answer questions about their job in the hospital.

Manager of the Outpatient Specialty Rehab Program Monika Stolze showed students what happens in physical, occupational and speech therapy and some of the ways the hospital helps patients with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, strokes, and those who have had limbs amputated regain their mobility and quality of life.

Mohammed Attia, a senior at Potomac Falls High School, said he wants to be a biomedical engineer and thought participating in Dream Big would be a great opportunity for him to see the different machines and techniques the hospital uses.

Attia said he became interested in biomedical engineering after his grandfather lost his arm in an accident and needed a prosthetic. He said, at the time, his grandfather was in Egypt and needed one from America. Attia said he was interested in seeing the differences between the two

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Students explore the heart and vascular unit at Inova Loudoun Hospital with Dr. David Reich on Oct. 19. Fifty students from two high schools participated in Dream Big, a new program that introduces students to various careers at the hospital.

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Students practice wound packing at Inova Loudoun during Dream Big, a day where students from two high schools were invited to explore various careers in the health and medical sciences field.

country’s healthcare systems.

Saniya Coleman, a junior at Potomac Falls High School, said ever since she was a little girl, she knew she wanted to work with children in the medical field. Her older sister is a certified nursing assistant in Norfolk, so she decided to participate in Dream Big to see what life was like in a hospital.

She said her eyes were opened during the physical therapy rotation.

“I didn’t know they had all this technology. It’s pretty cool seeing them help people get back to their daily life. I think it might be something I would consider doing,” she said.

Jillian Paglinawan, a sophomore at Potomac Falls, said she is interested in going into the medical field but not sure yet what she wants to do. She is hoping her time in the hospital will help narrow it down for her.

All three students said they highly recommended other students participate in Dream Big next year.

“Come because you never know, you could want something one day then explore something else and now you want to do that and it’s really a life changing thing and it works out for you,” Coleman said.

Braun agreed. She said she just started her doctorate in health administration but when she started in the medical field, she wanted to be a nurse.

“It’s a journey. You pick where you want to go. You pick your passion and go down that avenue. The goal is to have the kids do that,” she said.

She said she would like to hold Dream Big days twice a year—once in the fall and again in the spring and invite different schools to participate.

Dream Big and Job for a Day are just two of the ways Inova works with students in Loudoun County Public Schools to introduce them to and create pathways into the healthcare profession. Others include Bloom, which gives sixth grade students hands-on, real-world experience in the health and medical sciences field and Start on Success, which trains students with learning disabilities who are seniors in high school to work at the hospital.

Students who participate in SOS learn in school for the first half of the year, then from January to May they job shadow while getting paid in areas like supply management, food services and supply chain.

Braun said those job-shadowing opportunities often turn into full time jobs once the student graduates.

“We have multiple platforms of exposing students from sixth grade all the way to twelfth grade on diversity and being able to come into the hospital, get experience and start in the workforce before they graduate,” she said.

The next opportunity for students to job shadow in the hospital as well as in a wide range of jobs throughout the county is Job for a Day which takes place in November. n

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OCTOBER 26, 2023

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

Dealing with the Known The Leesburg Town Council got unwanted news this week when the assessment of the scale of remediation that would be needed to redevelop a long-abandoned downtown dump

EDITORIAL ALEXIS GUSTIN Reporter agustin@loudounnow.com HANNA PAMPALONI Reporter hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The study found widespread contaminants at hazardous And it predicted a hefty—much higher than expected—price tag to haul the material away for safe disposal elsewhere.

So, what lies under the town’s 2.37 acres of parking lot

TONYA HARDING Account Executive tharding@loudounnow.com VICKY MASHAW Account Executive vmashaw@loudounnow.com

Online always at LoudounNow.com

remediation. The dump site would continue to be somebody else’s problem to deal with someday.

But that strategy largely thwarts redevelopment plans that held promise to add to the economic and cultural vitality of the downtown area.

The investment was an important departure from

considered. The critical question may be: What is the

the don’t ask/don’t look strategies of previous councils

community cost of allowing a leaking hazardous waste

that abdicated their responsibilities of environmental

dump to remain downtown while also forgoing long-term

stewardship.

economic opportunities? n

LETTERS to the Editor Our Interests Editor:

Now that the Board of Supervisors has approved using PLAs for road improvement projects, I hope that the voting citizens of Loudoun County will elect board members who have some regard for the opinions of the voters instead voting their own interests.

— John Witmer, Hillsboro

Everywhere A Sign Editor:

Signs—It’s clear that there is increased interest in the elections this year. It’s great that so many wish to express support. Many residences display signs for preferred candidates. HOAs have stricter limits Loudoun Now is mailed weekly to homes in Leesburg, western Loudoun and Ashburn, and distributed for pickup throughout the county.

Online, Loudoun Now provides daily community news coverage to an audience of more than 100,000 unique monthly visitors.

They were told that by leaving the material covered and

It is not just the remediation price tag that should be

pavement is no longer a mystery.

ADVERTISING SUSAN STYER Advertising Manager sstyer@loudounnow.com

what to do with the knowledge. undisturbed, the town would not be on the hook for any

turned up a near worse case scenario. waste levels with pollution leaching into the groundwater.

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

The challenge before today’s council members now is

on the amount of time signs can be displayed, if at all. Some signs are between property lines so that it’s hard to tell who placed them. Signs are even seen on empty lots.

However, it’s curious why signs are often placed in rights of way, so close to the road. Formerly, volunteers were permitted to collect illegally placed signs although that must have been nixed.

Section 33.2-1224, Code of Virginia, prohibits signs and advertisements within the limits of the highway. The Virginia Department of Transportation is authorized to remove any sign that is in violation of state code, especially if it interferes with roadside maintenance or presents a safety

hazard to motorists.

It’s also more noticeable as gas stations, car dealerships, banks, print businesses, and commercial and/or industrial complexes put up signs during election season. A question: What does it signal to potential customers when a business posts political signs? Do owners value those who agree with their political position more than other Loudoun citizens?

I’m grateful every day for our sign ordinances regarding large billboards.

Many of us look forward to seeing falling leaves and other signs of autumn as well as an unencumbered view of our beautiful county once again, hopefully soon.

— Brenda Bengtson, Hamilton

Send us your letters to the editor at editor@loudounnow.com

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

OCTOBER 26, 2023

READERS’ poll

PAGE 43

CHIPshots

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

Many companies are pushing to bring workers back to the office. What’s your status?

•• 40.6% Never left the office Hybrid home/office •• 27.5% work is here to stay •• 13.0% Mainly working remote Going in a few days •• 13.0% each week •• 5.8% Trying to not go back THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:

Has the county’s plastic bag tax changed your grocery store habits?

Wine awards continued from page 3 Baki said the conditions of the past growing season would contribute to unique wines with exciting results that he was looking forward to.

“We had a pretty cool spring and then a hot dry summer, and then a cool fall.

What did that do to our vines? Well, in some cases it shocked a little bit. It shut things down. It concentrated the juices.

Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls

It maintained the acidity. It’s a mystery which is going to end up in the bottle soon and it’s for all of you to decide.”

The entries were graded by six judges with professional backgrounds in retail and wholesale wine sales and restaurant management.

“Their feedback is from the perspective of a buyer seeking to put wines on a wine list or on a retail shelf with clients from everywhere else in the world,” Wavra said. n

If you value quality local journalism ...

Tell them you saw it in Loudoun Now.

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Cori and Jon Phillips were awarded the Grand Award at the 8th annual Loudoun Wine Awards for their 2021 “Gila” petit verdot Oct. 20.

In your home weekly, online always.

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 44

OCTOBER 26, 2023

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