Loudoun Now for June 5, 2025

Nett Files to Set Aside Conflict Ruling

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

A filing by Purcellville Vice Mayor Ben Nett is looking to nullify an opinion issued by Commonwealth’s Attorney Bob Anderson that found Nett should not participate in any Town Council or staff discussion surrounding the town’s Police Department.

Anderson’s opinion was provided April 21 in response to a request by NETT continues on page 42

Assessment Finds Underfunded Dept.

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudonnow.org

The consultant hired to conduct an evaluation of the Purcellville Police Department amid a bid by a majority of Town Council members to disband the agency told town residents last week they were “blessed with community policing officers.”

Mike Jones made the comment during last week’s Town Council meeting after he presented his fivepage evaluation in a closed-session briefing. The town’s officers are “the POLICE

page 43

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Celebrates 30 Years of Getting Outdoors

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Thirty years ago, Joe Coleman decided it was time to do something about development in Loudoun that was wiping out wildlife landscapes with little concern for the impacts to the environment. Now, the conservancy he formed with three other concerned residents has grown to be an organization with more than 600 volunteers providing 15,500 hours of work last year.

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy has been a leader in the county since 1995 in efforts to protect the local wildlife habitat and help future development form in a way that is more compatible with the native species already living here.

“It really grew out of a handful of us living in western Loudoun but often having to go into eastern Loudoun and just seeing how much the county was growing and how much was being lost so quickly in terms of loss of habitat,” Coleman said.

The conservancy started by reaching

out to area residents and explaining what day-to-day actions could be taken on an individual and organizational scale to make a difference.

“We quickly realized that one of the areas that was most important that we worked in was eastern Loudoun because it was the part that was being developed most quickly. Thirty years ago, there were still actually a fair amount of farms in

WILDLIFE continues on page 42

From left, Joe Coleman, Phil Daley and Tom Kercheval stand outside the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy office at Morven Park near Leesburg.

Concept Plans Finalized for 40-Mile Trail Loop

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

The county’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services staff members have completed plans for a 40-mile connected trail loop through the heart of Loudoun County which will provide easy access points for 150,000 residents.

The loop is part of the Loudoun Trails and Waterways initiative, formerly known as the Linear Parks and Trails initiative. The Board of Supervisors approved the LPAT plan in 2021 with the goal of providing interconnected, countywide parks and trails that protect natural and cultural resources.

The network includes an 11.5-mile northern trail loop that is in the county’s Capital Improvement Program and a new 22-mile southern trail loop, with a seven-mile stretch of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail bisecting them.

“This is a very exciting thing that is happening,” PRCS Director Steve Torpy told a Board of Supervisors’ committee May 21. “And one of the things that we’re excited about is that 66% of the land and easements we currently either own or have in place and over half of the trails are already on the ground.”

Trails Program Manager Dan Sullivan said the trail came together “organically”

as his team was reviewing the LPAT plan.

“That plan was put together by a contractor, and within the plan, they created a set of corridors across the entire county. These are really, really wide lines that they made that just kind of showed potential areas for good trails that could connect the county either east to west, north to south, all over the place. So, the initial concept came from those large corridors

within the plan,” Sullivan said.

Narrowing the southern loop to follow Goose Creek and Broad Run was an easy choice, Sullivan said, but it was through a partnership with Brambleton’s HOA and developers that the pieces really came together.

“We were kind of working on these two corridors and then once we connected Brambleton, they were the ones that said,

‘We All Have a Choice’

‘hey, we could bring this together through our property and that’s kind of how it all came to be a loop,” Sullivan said.

There will be multiple destinations along the trail including schools, historic landmarks, parks, shopping centers and Metro stations.

“I think it could have an absolutely huge impact, including the fact that there are at least 40 sites that are kind of points of interest that connect to this trail,” Sullivan said. “It means it can be used for the local neighborhood dog walker who wants a place to take their pet, to escape into nature for a little bit, but it can also be a route for a kid who lives in a neighborhood and otherwise wouldn’t be able to connect to their school.”

The loop will also create more access to and from the Metro, he added.

“Beyond that, a big part of our mission is environmental conservation and by putting in these trails, we’re creating corridors for wildlife. We’re going to be able to protect the stream corridors to keep the riparian buffers and water quality as good as it can be. So, there’s certainly a lot of opportunity for the community, for the environment, for the county,” Sullivan said.

TRAIL LOOP continues on page 41

Youth Urged to Continue to Fight Against Injustice at Juneteenth Ceremony

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Community members gathered at the Historic Douglass High School in Leesburg on Monday to raise the Juneteenth flag and reflect on the impact of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil Rights movement.

The ceremony included remarks by Hazekiah Watkins, who became the youngest Freedom Rider following his arrest at age 13 during a protest at a Jackson, MS, bus station. He was released after 13 days in jail, thanks to the intervention of the Kennedy administration, but he was not spared his mother’s rod when he returned home.

In the ensuing years as a Freedom Rider fighting to enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling banning segregated buses, he was arrested more than 100 times.

“I’m proud to stand here and tell you all about those arrests, because believe it or not, what the Freedom Riders did in

Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, guess what—it affected all of you,” he said.

Today he is 77 years old and he urged others in the crowd to continue the fight for equality.

“To the younger generation, I want to pass this on to you all and let you all take this and run with it. Do what your calling has called you to do. Any of us can make a difference if we want to. We have to want to make a difference,” he said. “They call it having a choice. We all have a choice depending on how we use it. So if you want to make a difference in your community, in your state, in your school, in your church, those are choices that you have to make.”

The flag raising ceremony comes in advance of the Juneteenth national holiday that. This year will mark 160 years since 2,000 Union troops landed in Galveston Bay, TX, to announce that the more than 250,000 enslaved people in the state were free by President Abraham Lincoln’s executive order—two and a half years earlier.

The ceremony included a welcome by Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk, a reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by Councilmember Neil Steinberg, a 13th Amendment to the Constitution by Rock Ridge High School senior James Wyllie, and General Order #3, which was posted on the door of the “colored church,” now known as Reedy Chapel, in Galveston Bay.

Burk spoke to students gathered for the program and encouraged them to continue to fight for justice.

“It’s been our young adults who have led the charge to great and positive change. It’s because of the young people that things have happened. This is especially true during the Civil Rights era, and with many of our young adults participating in sit ins or other forms of peaceful activism. Even locally, it was two of our own teenagers, Gertrude Evans and her brother Jean Ashton, who staged a protest in 1963

JUNETEENTH continues on page 41

Loudoun County

A map shows conceptual plans for trails in Loudoun County that will provide easy access to 150,000 of the county’s residents.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now Hazekiah Watkins speaks during Monday's Juneteenth flag raising ceremony at the Historic Douglass High School.

Loudoun

Subramanyam Relaunches Federal Agritourism Caucus

BY PATRICK LEWIS

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) and farmers from around the region last week celebrated the reformation of the Congressional Agritourism Caucus at Great Country Farms in Bluemont. Subramanyam also discussed his introduction of the AGRITOURISM Act and addressed a variety of problems that farmers in Loudoun and surrounding counties said they are facing.

Speaking at the May 29 event, Subramanyam said, “Agritourism’s a big part of our heritage as well as our economy.” He said around 70% of Loudoun County farmers are not full time and need agritourism to supplement income from selling products they grow.

“I basically want champions on Capitol Hill to come together for agritourism and evangelize it in Congress,” he said.

The AGRITOURISM Act was introduced in January 2022 as H.R. 6408 by then-Rep. Jennifer Wexton, who introduced it again as H.R. 5203 in August 2023.

Lewis/Loudoun Now Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) discusses the launch of the Agritourism Caucus in congress with a group of local farmers.

It did not make it out of committee. Subramanyam, Wexton’s successor as 10th District representative, is now re-introducing the bill as H.R. 3470.

The bill, the full name of which is the “Accelerating the Growth of Rural Innova-

tion and Tourism Opportunities to Uphold Rural Industries and Sustainable Marketplaces Act,” aims to establish an Office of

AGRITOURISM continues on page 6

Design Cabinet Presents Signatures of Loudoun Awards

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Nine structures in the county were honored for their design excellence on Tuesday as part of the annual Signatures of Loudoun Awards.

In its 20th year, the contest is put on by the Department of Economic Development and the Loudoun County Design Cabinet to recognize outstanding designs.

“Every great community is built with intention,” Economic Development Director Buddy Rizer stated in an announcement. “By honoring these outstanding projects, we’re also supporting a vibrant economy, celebrating local talent, and reinforcing the unique character of our community.”

This year’s honorees include a mix of historic preservation, infrastructure upgrades, visionary development and community-focused public spaces.

2025 WINNERS: Details: Hummingbirds Hideaway Treehouse – A whimsical, artisan-crafted retreat that charmed the jury and student judges alike.

Contextual Design: Birkby House Conservatory – A respectful and seamless addition to one of Leesburg’s most beloved historic homes.

Infrastructure: Sterling Park Safety Center – A unifying, modern facility reflecting the service and strength of the Sterling community.

Infrastructure: Leesburg Streetscape Improvements – A revitalization that blends historic charm with accessibility and walkability.

Interiors: Dental Smiles at Purcellville Gateway – A calming, patient-first interior featuring reclaimed wood and locally made pottery sinks.

Pace Setters: Equinix DC21 Exterior – A bold rethinking of data center design featuring dramatic façade uplighting that doubles as civic art.

Pace Setters: Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park Restroom and Concession Facilities –Proof that even utilitarian spaces can reflect thoughtful architecture and environmental care.

Public Spaces: Mervin Jackson Park East End – A beloved Leesburg pocket park offering shaded seating, playful features, and a donated community piano.

Lucketts Wastewater Plant Receives Support

Plans to build a sewage treatment plant in Lucketts are advancing after the Planning Commission last week recommended approval of the application.

Planned off of Rt. 15 next to the Lucketts Elementary School, the property already contains an accessory community wastewater system that was built in 2022 to serve the school.

Project Manager Kristian Maldonado said the application stemmed from a board member proposal to find a way to serve surrounding buildings including the community center and fire department’s old and new stations.

Maldonado said his team did not find any issues with the application but did recommend enhanced screening for the site and a transfer of the land’s ownership from Loudoun County Public Schools to Loudoun Water.

During the May 27 public hearing, no community members spoke for or against the application, which passed 8-0 with Commissioner Eric Combs (Ashburn) absent.

PRCS Hosts World Elder Abuse Awareness Event

Students’ Choice: Hummingbirds

Hideaway Treehouse – Selected by student judges from the Academies of Loudoun for its imaginative, sustainable design and connection to nature.

Design Cabinet Chair Al Gooden thanked the Board of Supervisors and Rizer for their support.

“We could not do this without them herding us cats and actually helping us promote the great design of Loudoun County and how it’s a great place to live, work and play. This program thrives because of your partnership,” he said. “… I want to finally say congratulations to all the winners thank you for making Loudoun County a design specialist and we all see here that we are. Design excellence is good business and it’s good community.”

To commemorate the 20th anniversary, Loudoun Economic Development created a special edition Signatures of Loudoun book, highlighting two decades of award-winning designs across Loudoun County. An interactive digital version of the commemorative book can be found at signaturesofloudoun.com. n

The county’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Area Agency on Aging and the Department of Family Services’ Adult Protective Services will host a community event for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day next Wednesday.

The event will be hosted at the Lodge at Hanson Park and included sessions on supported decision-making, longterm care planning, caring for the caregiver and using music to support emotions and prevent burnout.

According to the World Health Organization, around 1 in 6 people 60 years and older experienced some form of abuse in community settings during the past year. Loudoun County’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day program is being held for caregivers, community partners, law enforcement, social workers, attorneys, and healthcare professionals to bring to light issues such as dementia, protecting older and vulnerable adults from abuse, and other topics.

The event is free but does require pre-registration which can be completed at tinyurl.com/yx3zd68r or by calling the Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging at 571-439-9776.

Register by Friday, June 6. Lunch will be provided. n

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Agritourism

continued from page 5

Agritourism within the USDA.

The office would be headed by a director who, according to the bill, would “encourage and promote, in each State, agritourism activities and agritourism businesses.” Those include education, outdoor recreation, entertainment, sales, accommodations, and “any other activity or business relating to agritourism.”

Subramanyam said, “We’re lucky to have a really great agritourism industry already, but I’d like to see it expand. I’d like to see the farms that offer agritourism to be able to overcome some of the challenges they face, and I want to hear some of their ideas and see how we can expand this in Virgina and across the country.”

Over a dozen farms from Loudoun, Fauquier, and Rappahannock counties were represented at the gathering.

Farmers raised a wide range of topics, including desires for deregulation of meat and crop processing businesses, zoning concerns, and barriers to starting new agriculture businesses. However, the most prominent theme was the critical role that agritourism and adjacent sectors play in keeping farms running.

Many of the farmers echoed Karen S. Way, CEO of Fauquier County beef producer Ovaka Farm, who said, “When we looked at the budget at the beginning of my term in management [of the farm], the steaks could never pay the bills. Any without our agritourism program, we’d be dead.”

Way and others in attendance expressed their appreciation for Subramanyam’s attention to agritourism and their hope that the new caucus and bill would bring new government resources to bear to help agritourism thrive in Loudoun County and elsewhere. Some worried that Trump Administration spending cuts would negatively impact the USDA and make this impossible, but Subramanyam said he is working to make sure those cuts don’t impact parts of the government he sees as important for agritourism and farming as a whole.

Beth Erickson, Visit Loudoun President and CEO, said, “Agritourism is a rapidly growing and successful industry but businesses like those that joined the Congressman for the launch need help and support on multiple

levels. The fact that Congressman Subramanyam chose Loudoun to relaunch his bi-partisan Agritourism Caucus and announce his legislation to grow and support this vital part of not only Loudoun’s economy, but economies of rural communities in congressional districts across the county is something for which we should be very proud.”

Alexa Janoschka, an employee at Double 8 Alpaca & Llama Ranch near Purcellville and a Loudoun County native, spoke about the lack of resources for younger farmers and young adults who may be interested in the industry. “I was only introduced to the path of college. But then I went down that path and I really kind of struggled with it,” she said.

Janoschka said she found Double 8 online and started volunteering, which led to a job. However, she found those opportunities on her own, not through a high school job fair or resource guide. “Hopefully my generation can be introduced to it … it is a sustainable career path.”

Subramanyan said agritourism is even more important to Loudoun County farms than many other regions in the country. “Agriculture in our county is our heritage,” he said. “And it’s also one of the reasons people come out to Loudoun County. It’s a big part of our economy already, and agritourism is really that gateway for so many families across the state and, really, across the country, to come visit our wonderful farms.”

Buddy Rizer, executive director of Loudoun Economic Development, said, “Agritourism plays a critical role in sustaining rural economies and preserving our agricultural heritage. With the relaunch of the Congressional Agritourism Caucus, introduction of the AGRITOURISM Act, and the USDA’s new resource manual, we now have real tools at a federal level that complement the work we’ve long prioritized in Loudoun County. This is a meaningful step toward recognizing agritourism within the broader agricultural framework and ensuring that our farmers have the support they need to grow and innovate.”

The AGRITOURISM Act is being cosponsored by several other representatives from around the country. The membership of the Agritourism Caucus has not been publicly released and will be made available once the Caucus’ website goes live, according to a member of Subramanyam’s staff. n

Leesburg With Data Centers, Property Tax Revenue Spikes

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

The Town of Leesburg collected more in property tax revenues than expected this far into fiscal year 2025, a result of last year’s annexation that brought data centers into the corporate limits.

A briefing given to the Town Council this week stated “staff anticipates the town will collect more in property tax revenue than budgeted – specifically an increase of $1.5 million in real property taxes resulting from the annexation of Compass Creek and higher than anticipated growth in the portfolio.”

Management and Budget Officer Tamara Keesecker last night called it “the elephant in the room” when referring to the computer equipment tax revenue from data centers.

“This spring 2025 levy has been received at $3.4 million. As you know, that’s a lot higher than we were anticipat-

ing when we talked in January,” she said. “Based on all of the data we have, it looks like they probably just outfitted their facilities a little bit faster than we anticipated.”

She said revenues will “peak a little bit sooner” than expected, but cautioned the revenue “may not get as high as we thought, because it’s all happening all at once and a lot faster.”

As of the third quarter, 51% of total property taxes expected amount in the FY 25 budget has been collected, amounting to $13,688,568.

During the FY 26 budget work sessions this year, the council discussed earmarking future data center revenue to fund stormwater management system upgrades following the decision to reduce the town’s vehicle license fee to $0, without raising the real estate tax rate higher than 17.74 cents per $100 of assessed value.

The council plans a July 21 work session to identify how to best program the anticipated $3.4 million in revenue from data center computer equipment taxes. n

Celebrating Lafayette Loudoun Museum Exhibit Puts Spotlight on 1825 Visit to Leesburg

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Two hundred years ago, the Marquis de Lafayette, the last surviving major general of the American Revolution, returned from France to tour the country he fought to create.

During his 14-month farewell tour starting in July 1824, he visited all 24 states, receiving a hero’s welcome along the way. One of his last stops in that journey was in Loudoun County where he met with friends including former President James Monroe, who lived south of Leesburg at Oak Hill, and Ludwell Lee, his former aide-de-camp who lived east of Leesburg at Belmont.

Over the course of three days here, Lafayette was honored at several events, including an elaborate dinner on the courthouse lawn. Many of those events will be celebrated and recreated during special programs in August, but a new exhibit at the Loudoun Museum sets the foundation for that work.

“He was celebrated everywhere he

went and Loudoun—and Leesburg in particular—rolled out the red carpet. We really put on a massive welcome for him,” Museum Executive Director Carrie Christoffersen said.

The museum exhibit highlights his impact on the American Revolution and traces the activities of his visit.

“You get lots of detailed information about what we did, what happened here, what people were involved, how they responded to this opportunity to welcome America’s favorite friend, which is the way he’s referred to in one instance, and as the nation’s guest, which is how he was referred to throughout the tour. He made his way all around Leesburg, culminating with a really celebratory dinner on the courthouse lawn attended by many luminaries, and famously with 50 toasts being given in his honor,” Christoffersen said.

Much of the information is documented in the detailed reporting published in the Aug. 16, 1825, issue of the Leesburg

LAFAYETTE continues on page 8

The Town of Leesburg’s Incredible Free Outdoor Concert Series Lawn

Council Renews Utility Assistance Contract with Loudoun Cares

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

The Leesburg Town Council last week renewed its grant agreement with Loudoun Cares for the Utility Customer Assistance Program.

The program provides grants to town residents with an active residential water or sewer service account, and a household income of 50% or less of the area median income that have demonstrated a need for assistance with financial assistance for current and past due water and sewer bills. The program has an annual maximum contribution limit of two quarterly bill payments or $650 per household, whichever is greater.

Last June, the Town Council selected Loudoun Cares to administer the program. After confirming an applicant’s eligibility, Loudoun Cares notifies the applicant and coordinates with Leesburg’s utilities department to confirm payment accounts.

Loudoun Cares is a nonprofit dedicated to connecting the community with resource assistance, including rental assistance, utility assistance, eviction prevention assistance, and other services.

The program appropriated $100,000 from the town’s General Fund last year. The remaining available balance for assistance is $81,669. Payments made thus far include $4,931 worth of assistance provided and $13,400 paid to Loudoun Cares to cover administrative fees.

Last year, 23 utility customers applied

Lafayette

continued from page 7

Spectator newspaper, a copy of which is included in the display.

The exhibit includes items on loan from the American Friends of Lafayette as well as period pieces from the museum’s own collection and local sources to help tell the story. Among those is an 1820s Freemason’s apron and certificate—highlighting the brotherhood Lafayette shared with Monroe and George Washington. There is a sword likely to have been carried by Aldie’s John Moore as he joined local military escort for Lafayette. And there are commemorative cups and saucers and other trinkets that were sold as souvenirs during Lafayette’s tour.

Lafayette’s legacy continued to be celebrated in American long after his death in 1834.

“We’ve got a whole bunch of legacy pieces—a coin that the U.S. minted in

for the assistance program. Only 10 applications were granted.

Of the 13 who didn’t receive assistance, five applicants had income thresholds greater than the requirements, five were unresponsive and didn’t provide the required documentation, one didn’t reside in town, and two failed to pay their bills.

Several council members acknowledged that the program hasn’t been used by many. Councilmember Zach Cummings raised the idea of conducting a survey to figure out what the town could do to get more residents to take advantage of the program.

“At one point I was an individual who would have qualified for something like this and certainly would have appreciated it,” Councilmember Nicholas Krukowski said. “While I do recognize it’s a small number, I think it’s important that we continue a program like this because it allows us to diversify our community and let individuals who may have struggled or may continue to struggle and pay for those who continue to live in our town.”

Councilmember Patrick Wilt said the fee per application was “hefty.” Per account, there is a $100 administrative cost.

Councilmember Neil Steinberg said that while he didn’t have any issues with Loudoun Cares, he noted that the Salvation Army had offered to operate the program fee free. He said it might be worth looking into next time.

The council voted 6-1, with Wilt opposed, to approve the renewal of the Loudoun Cares contract. n

ON THE agenda

KLB Cleanup Nets 1,500 Pounds of Litter

During April nearly 180 volunteers around town collected totaled 1,495 pounds waste from roadsides and public spaces as part of the Keep Leesburg Beautiful campaign.

A team from Pack Rat Hauling was the winner of the inaugural Golden Grabber Award, recognizing their significant collection during the recent Keep Leesburg Beautiful campaign. Matthew Hastman and Jackie Olrich collected 170 pounds of waste between just the two of them, earning them the top award for the town clean-up initiative.

New Art District

Banners Posted

The Town of Leesburg has installed a new series of banners throughout its Arts and Cultural District to celebrate the creativity and talent of local artists.

In February, the Commission on Public Art, in partnership with Friends of Leesburg Public Arts, issued a “Call to Artists” to create 14 original designs to replace the existing banners, which were posted in 2021. The previous banners displayed the district’s logo, while the new collection showcases individual artwork. The selected designs include full-color photographs, paintings, and drawings that highlight the beauty, history, and spirit of Leesburg.

“The Commission on Public Art in Leesburg was delighted to see so many talented artists lend their hand in high-

as part of our participation in the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris that has Lafayette and George Washington on it and postage

stamps that were that were created in 1957 at the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s birth,” Christoffersen said.

lighting our vibrant Arts and Cultural District,” COPA Chair Jeanette Ward stated. “We love to see each artists’ diverse style contribute to these projects for our community.”

The original artworks featured on the banners will be on display at Visit Loudoun, located at 112 South Street SE, through the end of July. A public reception to celebrate the artists will be held Friday, June 6, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Learn more at leesburgva.gov/publicart.

Tennis Center

Earns USTA Honors

The Ida Lee Tennis Center has been recognized by the United States Tennis Association with a 2025 USTA Outstanding Facility Award.

Each year, the USTA recognizes facilities throughout the country to encourage increasingly high standards for construction and/or renovation. The award recognizes the Ida Lee Tennis Center as an exemplary tennis venue, with a commitment toward the growth and development of tennis in the community.

The center also earned outstanding facility honors in 2003.

“I am extremely pleased with the recognition that our tennis center has received as a result of this award,” stated Parks and Recreation Department Director Rich Williams. “We pride ourselves on offering a world-class tennis facility to our residents and patrons and aim to continue to deliver a tennis program that meets the demands of the community.”

The award will be presented to town staff at an awards ceremony held at the U.S. Open in New York in August. n

And that continues today with the display of several pieces created by Loudoun artist Claudia Rivera, including a jean jacket painted with images of Lafayette and Monroe and a pair of shoes painted with images of Lafayette and his wife.

“It just really sort of shows how you can get inspiration from this guy and what he’s meant to America. The American Revolution might well not have resolved the way it did were it not for Lafayette,” Christoffersen said.

The Loudoun Museum, located at 16 Loudoun St. SW in Leesburg, is open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Other exhibits on display at the museum include information on life in Loudoun during the Civil War, in the early 19th century and War of 1812 period, and its agricultural heritage.

Details about the special events in August commemorating Lafayette’s visit will be announced soon.

Learn more at loudounmuseum.org. n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now Loudoun Museum Executive Director Carrie Christoffersen reviews part of the new exhibit examining Marquis de Lafayette’s 1825 to Leesburg.

Education After Investigation, Miyares Finds Federal Case in Loudoun Locker Room

BY NORMAN K. STYER AND PATRICK LEWIS nstyer@loudounnow.org

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced plans on Monday to refer allegations that Loudoun County Public Schools administrators initiated “retaliatory Title IX investigation” against three students to federal authorities.

The case involves three male students at Stone Bridge High School who claimed they were targeted for investigation after they were recorded in a school locker room making comments about a transgender student. After parents raised concerns that the boys would be subject to a school division investigation, Miyares’ office announced it would review the case.

At the center of the dispute is the school division’s Policy 8040, which allows access to sex-separated facilities based on gender identity.

The Attorney General’s office concluded the school division “appears to be punishing those who hold and express faith-based views.” The office also cited concerns over “persistent reports that LCPS and the School Board take adverse and potentially unlawful action against parents, teachers, and public speakers.”

“The investigation reveals a disturbing misuse of authority by Loudoun County Public Schools, where students appear to have been targeted not for misconduct, but for expressing their discomfort for being forced to share a locker room with a member of the opposite sex,” Miyares stated. “Title IX was never meant to be used as a weapon against free speech or religious convictions. Every student in Virginia deserves the right to speak openly, think freely, and live according to their conscience without fear of retaliation. Protecting those rights is not political—it’s foundational to who we are

as Americans.”

According to the June 2 announcement, the AG’s Office referred the case to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division “for further investigation and appropriate action.”

The school division has denied the allegations but declined to discuss details of the case.

In a statement on June 3, LCPS Public Information Officer Dan Adams said in an email to Loudoun Now that the school system is focusing on following “applicable laws and ensuring all students are safe.”

“LCPS is not in a position to provide comment on the Attorney General’s investigation or its purported findings at this time. Specifically, LCPS never received any official communication from the Attorney General opening an investigation beyond press releases and media coverage, was not provided an opportunity to

meaningfully participate in any such investigation, and, to date, no findings have been shared with LCPS,” Adams stated.

In a May 6 statement, school administrators said the division would not investigate or discipline students for their opinions, thoughts or beliefs as long as they do not violate policies prohibiting hate speech, discriminatory language, threats or harmful or disruptive conduct.

“However, LCPS does investigate and may take disciplinary action when student behavior violates LCPS’ Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook for Families and Student Code of Conduct,” according to the announcement. “… Because this matter could result in discipline, LCPS will not discuss the specifics of the incident publicly. Student privacy is a fundamental right protected by both policy and law, and LCPS is firmly committed to upholding that principle without exception.” n

Community Rallies Around Suspended Rock Ridge Theater Teacher

BY AMBER LUCAS AND PATRICK LEWIS alucas@loudounnow.org

Community members are rallying behind Rock Ridge High School Theater teacher Tony Cimino-Johnson following his removal from that position earlier this year. He is on administrative leave pending a hearing in June.

Loudoun County Public Schools administrators and School Board members declined to comment on the details of the case. Sources say Cimino-Johnson was placed on leave because of a complaint filed by a student who was told they would be removed from a show if they did not come to practice.

Leesburg Vice Mayor Todd Cimino-Johnson, husband of the removed teacher, in an Instagram post last week sought to quash rumors that the case involved financial misconduct. He stated there was no wrongdoing on the part of his husband, who did not have access to school funds.

Supporters turned out at last week’s School Board meeting to urge his return to the classroom.

Former teacher and current Rock Ridge parent Eric Sutton, whose two daughters both had Cimino-Johnson as a teacher, said that the complaint from the student didn’t happened until two months after the actual incident. “That was the reasoning for him being dismissed,” Sutton stated. “Our main message is that he’s being held to a different and higher standard that a sports coach, even a band director.”

Other public commenters claim his removal is related to retaliation for his successful efforts to create stipend-supported positions in school theater departments. They say that this retaliation goes back years, and refer to emails and audio recordings as evidence.

The emails they are referring to are from July 2024, from former Leesburg District School Board Member Beth Barts to the current board claiming the

Human Resources and Talent Development team at Loudoun County Public Schools has wanted to “take him down a notch.” She also wrote that since the program was popular, parents and other theater teachers were unhappy with the number of students seeking special permission to attend Rock Ridge.

Sutton and around 40 other supporters of Cimino-Johnson rallied outside the Loudoun County School Board meeting on May 20, and many spoke during the public comment period.

“I’m here to speak about the recent dismissal of our theater teacher. This occurred with vague disciplinary claims, a lack of transparency and contradiction of Loudoun County Public Schools policy. Parents and students have been left in the dark, no communication on the program’s future or college support for juniors and seniors,” said Jesse Travis. “Loudoun County Public Schools is choosing to single out one of its most successful teachers and inclusive

student program that they created without reason or accountability.”

“My teacher was put on leave April 1 and our school administration is doing everything they can to silence us as students. In our teacher’s absence, our program has begun to shatter. The directing team is separating, the students are losing faith in the magic of theater, and you may be our last hope,” said Rock Ridge student Kaylie Rivers. “We have fought this fight before and we will continue to fight for our teacher, mentor and inspiration. We so desperately need for this program.”

Other students also spoke in favor of Cimino-Johnson, saying that he made their theater program a safe place for students.

“We’re hoping the School Board will be the common sense and decency that we need to get him reinstated,” Sutton said. “But if not, we’re prepared to take this all the way to the courts if we have to.” n

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

Schools Give Tips to Avoid ‘Summer Slide’

With just a week left in the school year, Loudoun County Public Schools administrators are hoping to better equip students to avoid the infamous “summer slide” –the loss of academic growth a student will experience over the break.

Last week, Loudoun County Public Schools Department of Teaching and Learning Facilitator Jessica McCracken spoke at a webinar urging families to stay in learning mode with simple, fun activities every day.

Part of the Department of Family and Community Engagement webinar series, “Stopping the Summer Slide” featured McCracken and LCPS Science Specialist David Hitchcock. They shared tips, activities and resources to help students retain their knowledge.

According to McCracken, students will on average lose 20% of their reading skills and 27% of their math skills over the summer. Younger students are more susceptible and tend to lose more over the summer, she said.

However, keeping them engaged is the key to preventing the learning loss, according to the presentation. Parents should find

activities and subjects that students enjoy, and they can connect them to lessons they learned over the year. Getting them outside and into the community is important for growth, McCracken said.

McCracken said families can even connect learning over the summer to fun activities already planned, like beach trips or hiking. Hands-on activities are one of the best ways to keep them engaged, like cooking, coloring or gardening.

For literacy skills, family reading time, audiobooks and activities like the Loudoun County Public Libraries’ summer reading program can keep reading comprehension skills sharp.

“This is truly I think just such a gem for our community is how many free events and programs we have going on all the time across Loudoun County, through the Loudoun County Public Library. These are, again, all free, and they’re all year round, but they are especially helpful in the summer to get your kids engaged and to prevent that summer slide,” McCracken said.

All libraries are free to use, and will host events like arts, crafts, family story times, STEM workshops and more. It varies location to location, but the summer reading program, called “Step into a Realm of Stories” this year, is all over the county.

There are four age groups ranging from

pre-readers to adults, so everyone in the family can participate. Complete 10 challenges to be entered into a drawing for prizes ranging from a gift basket to a Nintendo Switch 2. Entrants can register at the LCPL website.

McCracken also said interests are important in engagement. If students are interested in space or the ocean, read books about those subjects.

Writing skills are also important to keep sharp over the summer. Journaling activities, recipe writing, and even having students make presentations about something that interests them can keep them engaged in writing.

A good resource shared with parents during the presentation was the website Start With A Book. McCracken said many of the suggestions came from the resources on the site.

Hitchcock shared tips to keep up with science skills over the summer. According to him, everyone is a “science person” because science is a process based on observation.

“Our science philosophy is to do science. All science begins with observations and what we’re seeing and what we think are happening, and from there, we need to go out and find that that evidence and see if it supports what we’re thinking,

he said.

He also recommended that students get outside, and use their literary skills to journal what they see. This can also connect to traditional summer activities like hiking and beach trips. Students can record sounds, draw maps and plants, and find answers for things they don’t know.

Much like writing skills, math skills can also be honed by using and creating recipes.

Hitchcock also recommended the National Science Teachers Organization that has many helpful ideas for experiments that families can perform with ingredients that can be found in most homes.

“We certainly understand and recognize that summer is a break for students, and we want them to rest and recharge and to get a little bit of that relaxation. But what fantastic strategies that you as a family can do together to really reinforce learning, ensure that the summer slide is not happening, and really utilize your break and your experiences over the summer to inform their education and just the practice they’re learning and their skills that they are developing throughout the school year,” said Community Outreach Supervisor Sarah Boies.

Webinars much like “Stopping the Summer Slide” will continue into the next school year. n

Administrators Draft New Webpage Design for Test Scores

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

Loudoun County Public Schools staff members are working on a new design for public presentation of standardized test scores. The dashboard will show a variety of data points that will help put individual scores into context and provide transparency to the public, according to Chief Technology Officer Aaron Smith.

The purpose of the redesign is to better present the information and align with Superintendent Aaron Spence’s post-entry plan’s goals for transparency and consistency, according to Smith.

The new dashboard is meant to be user friendly. It features test data by school, grade, ethnicity, and also provides information on English learner students and students with disabilities.

It will feature the growth percentiles front and center on the page, with graphs showing growth over time for the chosen group at the bottom. Another new feature will be definitions of terms for the public to use to more accurately tell the story.

According to a presentation by Smith at the May 29 meeting of the School Board’s Performance Monitoring Committee, the dashboard is the end product of an entire process of data collection. He used an analogy of a Lego house. First they sort the data, then arrange it, then are able to connect it to a story.

Smith also said that they had to decide what to prioritize about the data, with guiding questions including whether students are learning at the expected rate, how students compare to others, whether schools are improving over time and how schools compare to each other.

“We want to focus in on telling the story, but just the story. We don’t want to

throw everything and kitchen sink at people. We want to really help them be able to discern the signal from the noise and the information that they’re looking at,” said Research and Evaluation Supervisor Dave Blaiklock.

The members of the committee were supportive of the new dashboard and what it means for student data comprehension.

Lauren Shernoff (Leesburg) said it was an exciting development, especially for parents, because she often has constituents telling her they don’t know what to ask about their student’s test scores. She said that there is not enough information currently in ParentVUE, where individual test scores can be viewed by families.

She also had several suggestions based on parents’ comments for additions.

“One more thing I just wanted to say is that I love that you’re going to put the definitions in there, like the overlay. I think that that will go so far in educating our parents. Obviously, maybe having those different languages would be really helpful. Additionally, I don’t know if we thought about this, I think at one time we did videos to kind of unpack things,” Shernoff said.

Melinda Mansfield (Dulles) wanted to make sure that students with disabilities were accurately represented in the data. Committee Chair Arben Istrefi (Sterling) also had ideas for the dashboard, including a pop-up course that would show users how to use the system before they looked at it.

“If I’m a parent looking I don’t want to compare my child’s progress, but at the end of the day, that context of where that school community is and what the challenges they might be facing and what they’re what they’re doing in any given year, attaching some dashboards and insights to that would be really powerful,” Istrefi said. n

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Business

2 New Montessori Schools to Replace Guidepost After Sudden Closures

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Two new Montessori schools are coming to fill gaps left by the sudden closures of multiple Guidepost Montessori schools beginning last fall.

In September, parents whose kids attended a Guidepost school in Purcellville were left scrambling after being given less than a 12-hour notice that the school would not be opening the next day, and it never opened for business again.

The property’s landlord had changed the locks following months of unpaid rent by the school’s parent company, Higher Ground Education. Guidepost schools in Sterling, Aldie and Ashburn also closed shortly after.

Elena Tyng, who had two children attending the Purcellville Guidepost school, said the sudden closure left them in the lurch and she and her husband had to rely on their parents for childcare or take time off work until they were able to enroll their sons at a Montessori school in Middleburg.

“It was a struggle for what we were going to do because no one had any openings in the area,” Tyng said.

The school closed with several children’s items still in the building and eventually the families were given a short window to arrive at the building and pick up their things. They were also refunded the tuition costs for the upcoming months after the school closed.

“We ended up getting a refund and our friends that had paid for the new school year got a refund,” she said. “We had just paid tuition, and we got all that back. I just don’t understand how it went under. It was almost four grand a month. I don’t know how it went belly up.”

Emails from the company to parents indicated that the inability to pay rent was a company-wide issue and impacting schools across the country.

In October, a representative of the company that owns the Purcellville building, Tri Borough Management LLC, told  Loudoun Now they are looking to fill the space with another childcare facility as quickly as possible, stating they had not wanted to see the school close.

Now, a new Montessori-based school is opening in the same location. Hatsumi

BUSINESS briefs

Client Coordinator Named at BCT Wealth Advisors

Billie Peterson is the new client coordinator for BCT Wealth Advisors, a division of Bank of Charles Town.

She will be the central point of contact for communications for clients and prospective clients, reporting to Director of Wealth and Investments Leslie Crabill at the office in Charles Town, WV.

Peterson joined BCT last year as a branch universal banker. She previously served two years as a financial concierge with Nymeo Federal Credit Union.

Mann is expanding her Leesburg-based school and said she has been working Tri Borough Management for months.

Virginia Montessori Academy is entering its fourth year of operation and Mann said she’s happy to provide the service to Purcellville-area families again.

“We are excited to be able to offer Montessori back to some of the families, hopefully, if they’re wanting to come back or if they still need care, because I know it was hard,” Mann said.

She said the community has already shown interest in the expansion.

“I put the sign up, and we got several inquiries that same day, and a lot of people are following up with us to see when we’re doing tours,” she said.

Enrollment has already opened with tours of facility beginning this week. The school will be open to children aged eight weeks to six years. Mann said she’s hoping to open as early as July but she is still working through the licensing process.

“We have a great staff. So, that’s really what makes the school so great, and our reputation great is we have really dedicated staff who, you can tell they really care about the kids. They go above and beyond. So, I’m lucky there,” Mann said.

Learn more at vamontessoriacademy.com.

In Sterling, a new school is opening

up to replace the gap facing parents in the eastern end of the county.

Co-founder Michael Brown is opening Parkside Community Montessori with two other Loudoun County residents. He was working for Guidepost when they told him in January that they would be closing the Sterling school at the end of February.

“We were looking at opening a program just because we weren’t thrilled with the way that we saw Guideposts doing things to be honest,” Brown said. “So, we were actually talking about it prior to being notified by Guidepost that they were closing the Sterling location but we hadn’t moved forward with anything. But we had basically, the business piece of it ready to go. We were just looking at different properties and then, well, it just made sense to continue.”

Parkside is in the same building that the Guidepost school was in, and Brown and his business partners were able to turn around the opening in two weeks.

“We took that time to basically do some needed maintenance to the building, and kind of converted it to something that speaks more to our vision, as opposed to Guidepost’s vision,” he said.

Brown said about 80% of families decided to continue with Parkside and all but one member of the original staff decided to stay as well. The curriculum is particularly

“Our team is excited to have Billie join us,” Crabill stated. “She brings proven client service experience in addition to considerable administrative knowledge that will provide our clients a positive experience while helping our team expand services.”

Learn more at mybct.bank. n

community-focused, he said.

“That’s why we really incorporated community as part of our name, just because it really was a community effort to stay together,” he said.

Brown said the curriculum is stil aligned with Montessori principles, but that they wanted to add additional elements as well.

“It is going to be at the core a Montessori program, but we are also adding some ancillary benefits to the program, like the garden and the chickens,” he said. “We do community hikes, and we’re really embracing like a natural love of learning, almost like a throwback to an earlier time where children had a lot of outside access and a lot of freedom to develop those social skills through play.”

Fall enrollment is open and will be available to children aged 16 months to six years old.

Brown said getting accredited will be the company’s next focus.

“Obviously, it was a pretty quick turnaround, so that is one of our major goals to accomplishment this coming school year,” he said.

Learn more at parkside-montessori.com. n

Peterson

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Students enjoy a day at Parkside Community Montessori in Sterling after the school opened just weeks after the sudden closure of Guidepost Montessori in February.

Chamber Forum Highlights Opportunities, Benefits of Nonprofit, For-profit Partnerships

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

The importance of partnerships between nonprofit and for-profit organizations – and how to make them effective – was highlighted last week through a forum hosted by the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce.

Leaders from both sectors gathered May 29 to learn from each other and keynote speaker Kurt Aschermann, a career nonprofit executive.

Leaning on anecdotes from his time with the Boys and Girls Club of America, Aschermann provided seven tips for forming power partnerships: learn to say, “I don’t know yet”; don’t make big plans; know when to push and have hutzpah; establish guiding principles for partnerships; recognize the value of your brand; have a system to evaluate relationships; and simplify, simplify, simplify.

Aschermann said both the for-profit and nonprofit businesses must work together toward achieving shared goals and telling their stories.

“Here’s the last part of that together thing: equal partnership,” he said. “The best nonprofit leaders that I know do not go into the room with a CEO of a corporation and consider themselves less than that CEO and the CEOs of corporations that expect you to be less than, you don’t want to work with anyway. You want the ones who want the best. … The best relationships, or partnerships are the ones where both parties walk away saying, ‘that was a good partnership. I want to do that again.’”

The forum also included discussion from nonprofit and for-profit panels.

The for-profit panel, including Equinix Head of State and Local Public Policy Rey Cheatham Banks, PNC Bank Director of Client & Community Relations Sonia McCormick, Modern Mechanical CEO

Shawn Mitchell, and Aschermann, who also founded KA6consulting, discussed how they find nonprofits to partner with, what they look for in those nonprofits and provided advice to nonprofits looking to form connections with for-profit companies.

“Part of that discovery phase of when you’re meeting people in the business world and you’re talking to them is asking, ‘hey, what’s important to me?’ Because I find that the nonprofits that we partner with and that I have a passion for, are also the ones that are aligned with me, personally and professionally. That’s important to me,” McCormick said.

Banks agreed, adding that at Equinix, they look for nonprofits whose mission aligns with their own.

“We are looking for partners and nonprofits that have closing the digital divide as part of their mission,” she said. “We want to provide access to underserved and marginalized communities that might not have access to the internet, that might not have access to that type of infrastructure. So, those are the things that we really look for when we are looking for organizations to partner with.”

The nonprofit panel, which included HealthWorks for Northern Virginia CEO Dr. Tonya Adkins, LAWS Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services CEO

Samantha Clarke, Shelter House Executive Director and CEO Joe Meyer and Loudoun Education Foundation Executive Director Danielle Nadler, focused on the importance of and how to form a valuable board of directors, the significance of in-kind contributions, and what makes a partnership successful from a nonprofits point of view.

“Looking at the most successful partnerships that we’ve had, starts with that personal relationship, making sure that we understand the company and that the company knows us and knows our values and knows our missions,” Meyer said. “Also, making sure that it matches with the employee, not just the decision makers, but the employees of the companies that are coming to us. So, when I say engagement, yes, the check is wonderful, and that’s a great way to engage us, but it’s about coming out to us, making sure that it’s a winwin, because if the employees are engaged, it makes your company better.”

This is the Loudoun Chamber’s second annual Nonprofit and Business Forum. Nonprofits also set up booths to connect with attendees, answer questions and form new relationships.

[Editor’s Note: Aschermann and Nadler serve on the board of directors of Loudoun Community Media, the nonprofit that publishes Loudoun Now.] n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Business leaders - both of nonprofit and for-profit organizations - gathered to learn how to form more effective partnerships during a Loudoun Chamber event May 29.

You can’t eat an award, but you can savor the flavors that earned it. Now, more people than ever can enjoy the taste of our award-winning cuisine. Curious about what makes us stand out? Stop by for a sample — you might even get a chance to meet our award-winning Executive Chef. No acceptance speech necessary — just bring your appetite!

Dealer in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Sentenced

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

The Sterling man convicted of providing the drugs the resulted in a teen’s fatal fentanyl overdose in 2022 was sentenced today to a 25-year prison term.

Haider Sudhuzai pleaded guilty in February to distribution to a minor of a schedule II drug.

During the May 29 sentencing hearing, Circuit Court Judge James E. Plowman handed down the 25-year sentence, with 11 years suspended.

Sudhuzai, a Pizza Hut worker, gave a 17-year-old, identified with nickname “Eden” in court documents, fentanyl on Sept. 24, 2022. Her twin sister discovered Eden dead in her room the next day. A toxicology report from the Virginia Chief Medical Examiner’s Office found fentanyl in her bloodstream. That blood sample

also revealed Bupropion, and Fluoxitine.

Investigators linked Sudhuzai to the case using Eden’s phone and a law enforcement database that led them to Sudhuzai’s FaceBook profile, his driver’s license and vehicle registration. While searching his vehicle, investigators found fentanyl inside, according to case evidence. Also according to evidence, Sudhuzai met with Eden and her partner at a 7-Eleven and handed the two a “white powdery substance.”

During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors called four witnesses to the stand — her parents, girlfriend, and a sister.

Her father said the family has been experiencing disenfranchised grief – that the social stigma of losing a child to a drug overdose, combined with shame and guilt made coping more difficult.

“Every day is a horrible day. It has aged me quickly,” he said.

Eden’s girlfriend said no child should

have to go through the death of their first love. She said the possibility that her friends and family are dead is the first thing that pops into her head when they don’t answer the phone.

Eden’s mother said Eden’s twin sister suffers from severe PTSD, phobias, and severe social anxiety after what happened. She has refused to celebrate the birthday she used to share with her sister, she said.

Sudhuzai’s attorney argued that he was remorseful, evidenced by him not requesting bond. Sudhuzai apologized to the family in the court room. He said he knows there isn’t anything he can do to make the situation better, but that he was trying every day to be a better person.

Sudhuzai’s sister, Suniya Sudhuzai, brother Akbar Sudhuzai, and his brother’s girlfriend Belinda Bargas also testified during the hearing.

Suniya said Sudhuzai was an addict who had overdosed 11 times previously

and that the family had been trying to do everything they could to help him. She said Sudhuzai struggled with cultural stigmas around mental health and substance abuse as the son of immigrant parents.

Sudhuzai’s attorney described him as addict “scraping the bottom of the barrel,” not a high-level drug dealer or someone “profiteering off poison.”

Plowman said the state’s sentencing guidelines offered a range of five to 40 years in prison based on the quantity of the drug, the degree of profiteering, and prior convictions.

“I don’t have any info to suggest that Sudhuzai was a profiteer,” he said, weighing the facts of the case. He also noted that, despite Sudhuzai’s difficult upbringing, both his brother and sister are “productive members of society.”

“No matter what the sentence is, it’s not going to make things right,” Plowman said. n

SAFETY briefs

Candles Cited as Cause in $950K Aldie House Fire

A fire at a home on Nicholson Meadows Place in Aldie caused major damage and left a family of four displaced on Monday, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue. Damages are estimated to be nearly $1 million.

Fire crews responded to the blaze just after 12:30 p.m. on Monday and found a working fire at the threestory residence. The residents had already safely evacuated when firefighters arrived.

Firefighters extinguished the fire within 20 minutes. The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office investigated and ruled the fire accidental. An unattended candle was the cause of the fire, which caused $356,069 in damage to the house and $590,931 to belongings.

In a release, the Fire Marshal’s Office said residents should remember to keep candles on nonflammable surfaces, away from pets, kids, and flammable materials, and should always be

supervised. FMO added that religious candles that must burn continuously should be kept in enclosed glass containers in a basin filled with water.

No injuries were reported in the fire.

One Dead in Leesburg Car Fire

One person has died following a May 28 car fire in the driveway at a home near the intersection of West Market Street and Memorial Drive in Leesburg.

Loudoun Fire and Rescue responded to a vehicle on fire in the 200 block of West Market Street just before 11:40 p.m. Firefighters arrived to find the vehicle fully engulfed in flames. The fire had already reached the second floor of the house by the time they arrived.

After extinguishing the fire, crews located an adult male dead inside the vehicle.

As of Tuesday, authorities have not identified the victim, pending the results of an autopsy and do not suspect foul play. n

Purcellville Budget Deadline Closes in for Deadlocked Council

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

With the deadline to adopt a budget for fiscal year 2026 one month away, Purcellville Town Manager Kwasi Fraser urged the council to find compromises needed to finalize its spending during a meeting May 27.

“Bad things happen come June 20 if you do not have a budget and I’m not saying this for any other reasons, but we have a dedicated staff whose salary will not be paid, and most importantly, debt will not be paid,” he said. “… So, I impress upon this Town Council to give a little, take a little or give a lot, take a lot. We need to have a budget by the 20th.”

The council has been working on the budget since March 19 with two opposing strategies at the forefront – cut expenditures while also lowering utility rates or raising utility rates to meet the cost of op-

erating the systems. The first path forward has been supported by Mayor Christopher Bertaut, Vice Mayor Ben Nett and councilmembers Carol Luke and Susan Khalil. The second has been proposed by councilmembers Erin Rayner, Caleb Stought and Kevin Wright.

During it previous meeting, the council directed Fraser to find $1.6 million of cuts in the budget to offset a deficit in the utility fund.

The cuts, presented Tuesday night, include freezing 5.6 full-time equivalent staff positions, reducing the staff ’s merit-based raises to a range of zero to five percent, scaling back utility capital projects, deferring enhancement funding, cutting contingency funding by 50%, and cutting allocations for professional development by 50%.

“We’ve wiped out all of the non-personnel enhancements,” Financial Analyst Linda Jackson said. “So, all this is means is we’re probably coming back with budget

amendments in FY 2026 because it’s probably not sustainable.”

The main personnel impacts would be in the planning and public works departments.

Director of Planning and Community Development Summer Wilkes said customer service would take a hit and that cutting the permit and code enforcement coordinator position would split his work among the remaining three planning staff members.

“That will hamper our ability to do the long-range planning,” she said.

Wilkes also serves as the town’s zoning administrator, but the cuts proposed by Fraser would contract those services out.

“It’s highly unusual that you would have a zoning consultant,” Wilkes said, adding that arrangement would likely

PURCELLVILLE BUDGET continues on page 18

SAR Commemorates Wayne’s Potomac Crossing with VDOT Sign

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

A new historical marker memorializing Gen. Anthony Wayne’s crossing of the Potomac River in 1781 was dedicated in Lucketts Sunday afternoon by the Sons of the American Revolution.

The marker is the first of three planned to remember the Point of Rocks crossing 244 years ago as Wayne led his army to meet the Marquis de Lafayette near Yorktown.

“Facing Lafayette and Wayne’s combined forces, British Commander General Cornwalis withdrew to Yorktown, where the Continental Army boxed in the British Army, and after a relentless siege, the British Army surrendered at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 19, 1781. So, the march south was a very pivotal event in the total ending of the revolution,” President of the Sgt. Maj. John Champe Chapter Barry Schwoerer said.

Representatives from multiple SAR chapters and Daughters of the Revolution chapters attended, highlighting the importance of honoring the patriots’ sacrifices and continuing the commemoration of their pivotal role in the American Revolution.

John Laycock, representing the

Maryland Westminster Chapter of the SAR said, despite the ultimate victory, Wayne’s journey was plagued with difficulties.

“He struggled to get his men paid,” Laycock said. “He struggled not with one, but two mutinies within six months. We know that he was under a lot of pressure from Lafayette and Washington to get down to Virginia. He was actually ordered

New Aldie Fire Station Opens

After more than two decades of planning, crews began operating out of the new Aldie Fire Station last week.

Located on Rt. 50 just west of the Rt. 15 intersection at Gilberts Corner, the $27 million building replaces the station in the village of Aldie, which is undersized and prone to flooding.

Finding a new location proved challenging. The county had purchased land and subsequently abandoned construction plans after objections from neighbors. In the end, the station is located just down the street from the originally planned location.

The 23,000-square-foot facility includes larger apparatus bays, bunkrooms, a training room, a break room, restrooms and showers, food preparation and dining areas, laundry and decontamination areas, supply storage, a gear and hose drying area, a breathing apparatus compressor room, a fitness room, offices and a repair shop. The station serves more than 6,000 residents in a 40-squaremile first-due area.

A formal dedication ceremony is being planned for July 19. n

in February to rendezvous with Lafayette but he wouldn’t leave until May 26, 1781.”

Laycock read snippets of journal entries from officers under Wayne’s command that detail poor weather conditions and the river crossing including when a scow overturned resulting in four men and two horses drowning and the loss of a significant amount of ammunition.

“To all of those brave patriots of Wayne’s army, thank you. I don’t think you could have imagined that your journal entry would even be thought about 244 years into the future, but here we are. I don’t think you even thought that all these years later we would be working to commemorate your march south with historical markers and noting your efforts. But here we are, very excited. So, the work of commemorating the patriots march continues even after today’s event,” Laycock said.

The second sign is planned along Rt. 15 north of Leesburg at a church, and the third will be at the intersection of Goose Creek and Evergreen Mills Road.

The day’s ceremony also included presentations of chapter wreathes, God Bless America led by Dale Corey, a musket volley, the Pledge of Allegiance and the presentation of the colors. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

A new historical marker memorializing Gen. Anthony Wayne’s crossing of the Potomac River in 1781 was dedicated in Lucketts by the Sons of the American Revolution on Sunday.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

The new Aldie fire station.

Purcellville Budget

continued from page 17

cause efficiency issues.

Bertaut said that there are not enough zoning permit applications requiring the Zoning Administrators’ work to warrant the in-house position.

Director of Public Works Jason Didawick said he did not feel that the town staff could sustain any personnel cuts including the wastewater laboratory technician and maintenance technician, included in Fraser’s proposal.

“Our entire organization is very lean, and I would not feel comfortable if I didn’t tell the council what the importance of the position is,” Didawick said.

Didawick said the positions are crucial to complying with state and federal regulations.

“The operational impact of not having [the lab technician] will increase the duties to our plant operators and could take a role in the day-to-day operations,” he said. “Due to scheduling constraints this may not always be feasible, potentially compromising both laboratory performance and plant operations. This added workload will strain staff’s resources and reduce our ability to possibly meet regulatory and operational demands effectively.

… it would be an extreme challenge.”

Stought said he was concerned over any cuts that could impact regulatory compliance.

“I’m extremely concerned that you’re recommending the elimination of a position that is critical to daily operations and regulatory compliance,” Stought told Fraser. “This should be a non-starter for all of the Town Council.”

But Fraser said the town could collaborate with Loudoun Water and use its lab when needed.

“My recommendation for this was from a risk management perspective. We monitor the risk,” he said. “From what I heard from Jason, this is not tomorrow or in six months that we’ll have something catastrophic happen because we do not have this position.”

Wright said counting on nothing bad to happen is not a good strategy.

“We can’t predict the future, but we still plan for it,” he said. “And planning for it is, don’t cut yourself to the bare core and not expect or anticipate that something is going to happen, especially when it comes to personnel.”

The cuts also include phasing a capital project that includes Didawick’s department installing three fine screens and one course screen.

Stought asked what the financial

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impacts of doing that would be.

Director of Engineering and Capital Projects Andrea Broshkevitch said delaying a portion of the project for one year would increase its cost by an estimated 10.83%. A two-year delay would increase it by an estimated 12.56% and three years by 14.27%.

Bertaut said he found Fraser’s proposed cuts to be a “nice balancing of approaches to risk,” but agreed the council did need more information on regulatory and financial impacts of delaying the screen project.

But Rayner said the council should increase utility rates in line with what the town spends to operate it and instead of transferring General Fund reserve money to subsidize the Utility Fund and also create a relief grant program for families struggling to pay their higher utility bills, similar to one offered in Leesburg.

“We already have a very good General Fund, very healthy General Fund, that’s $5 million above our fiscal policy level [of approximately $4.2 million] … we have options that we can provide our citizens for relief, for the ones that can’t afford their water utility rates, but we have to charge our true operational costs,” Rayner said.

Khalil said that would be penalizing residents who do pay their bills on time.

“Two wrongs don’t make a right,”

she said.

But Wright said using tax money to lower utility bills only subsidizes the school system and churches that don’t pay taxes.

Stought said if the average bi-monthly water bill in town is approximately $300 and the council raised utility rates by 10%, they could nearly cover the budget deficit and it would cost average homeowners an additional $15 a month.

“It creates somewhere over $1.3 million out of our $1.6 million. I’m fairly certain we could find 300K in cuts,” he said.

Bertaut said they should come to the next council meeting with the details of the proposals.

“You’ve talked about a relief fund, how much will that cost? How will it be funded? Those are details that need to be in front of the Town Council for debate,” Bertaut said.

“The question is if you guys are not going to come off the reducing of the utilities, then it’s a waste of our time,” Wright said. “… If you’ll sit right here today and say all of you are willing to negotiate that then I’ll put my time in and bring you something.”

“Right now, those are non-negotiable,” Bertaut said.

The council is next scheduled to meet June 10. n

Community Spirit Celebrated During Middleburg Day

The second annual Middleburg Day celebration on Friday night brought town residents together on the Town Hall campus for an evening of food and ice cream, live music from Gary Smallwood, and lots of community camaraderie.

During the program, Vice Mayor Chris Bernard offered special recognition for the town’s popular UPS driver Mike Elliott, who is retiring, and for Hilleary Bogley, who recently closed Scruffy’s Ice Cream shop after 36 years of raising money to support the Middleburg Humane Foundation. Councilmember Pamela Curran gave recognition to members of the Middleburg Arts Council, which recently completed its Foxes on the Fences public arts fundraiser. n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Vice Mayor Chris Bernard offered special recognition to Hilleary Bogley, who recently closed Scruffy’s Ice Cream shop after 36 years of raising money to support the Middleburg Humane Foundation.

EXCELLENCE IN HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM AWARDS

May 28 at 6pm-8pm at Loudoun County High School

Young Reporters Honored at Inaugural Ceremony

Loudoun Now held its inaugural Excellence in High School Journalism awards at Loudoun County High School May 28 highlighting over 60 student submissions.

High school journalism programs from across the county nominated the best of student reporting in writing, photography, podcasting and videography for the awards. Panels of judges including local nonprofit, business, and news leaders winnowed those down to five winning entries and one grand prize winner, announced at a ceremony emceed by NBC4 Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey.

Loudoun Now Excellence In High School Journalism Awards Program

Rock Ridge High School students

Sanvi Challa and Melissa Waas took home the grand prize for their story “Smoking Out the Truth Surrounding Rock Ridge’s New HALO Smart Sensors” for The Blaze, Rock Ridge High School’s student news site. Challa and Waas investigated new sensors in Rock Ridge High School bathrooms intended to detect vaping along with temperature, motion and noise. With confusion and rumors around the sensors among the student body, Challa and Waas researched the technology and how widespread it is in Loudoun County Public Schools, tracked down data on trends in alcohol, drug and vape use among Loudoun students, and interviewed a school district spokesperson.

Presenting sponsor

Their award comes with both a cash prize and the offer of summer internships at Loudoun Now. The program awarded $5,000 in cash prizes in total for winners, sponsored by BCT, Bank of Charles Town, and Loudoun Community Media will also contribute $500 for each winning entry to those students’ high schools.

Loudoun Now, the county’s free, independent, nonprofit news source, is delighted to partner with Google to host the first annual Excellence in High School Journalism Awards on May 28, 2025.

the coming academic year, we’ll host a forum of professional journalists from the DMV to speak to students about best practices and career opportunities. Second, we’ll invite journalism professors from local colleges to encourage students to study journalism as they continue their education. And third, a year from now, will set will present the second annual Excellence in High school Journalism Awards, recognizing the outstanding work of the next generation of student journalists and their teachers.”

Open to all Loudoun County high schools, this competition will honor the best work from school newspapers and yearbooks in five journalism categories:

• Feature writing • News writing • Videography

Loudoun County Public Schools lead journalism teacher Mitch Schwartz said raising the next generation of journalists is important.

“What Loudoun Now is creating goes way beyond just awards,” Schwartz said. “It’s building a local program that can truly raise the standard of student journalism in Loudoun County—just like Loudoun Now has done for community journalism here.”

For the 2025-2026 school year, the Excellence in High School Journalism Awards Program will be expanded to three components, thanks to Google’s ongoing support:

Loudoun Community Media Executive Director Renss Greene said journalism is a difficult profession but that it’s worth it.

• September: Keynote speaker program featuring journalism professors from DMV colleges and universities

level of engagement that you have with the world, and that only happens because of amazing teachers.”

“[Skills], that I would guess that Oprah Winfrey learned in the classroom, are just like the ones that all of these young people are in now, when they’re learning the skills to be critical and to be thoughtful and to be thinking,” Loudoun County Public Schools Director of Teaching and Learning Jeff Rounsley said. “And those are the things that are going to make a difference in our world, and to have people say, ‘Who are you?’ because you stand out through your authenticity and through your

• December: Roundtable discussions with prominent journalists from the DMV

Google Data Centers was the event’s presenting sponsor and will be supporting ongoing student journalism programs in partnership with Loudoun Community Media events throughout the year.

• May: Loudoun Now’s 2026 Excellence in High School Journalism Awards.

“Tonight’s event is just beginning of our high school journalism program, which has three key parts,” Loudoun Community Media Board of Directors Chair Tony Nerantzis said. “First, in

“From what we saw from our nominees this year, you already know that, and you’ve got what it takes,” Greene said. “We have seen some truly remarkable work here, backed up by talent and hard work. I sincerely hope that some of you will decide to pursue careers in journalism, because I can say with all earnestness: the world needs you.”

The event was also sponsored by Equinix, Major Family Foundation, Bank of Charles Town, Backflow Technology, Bank of Clarke Foundation, Loudoun Education Foundation and Spanky’s Pizza and Subs. n

Marty Shoup/Blue Lion Multimedia

Loudoun Community Media Executive Director Renss Greene, Rock Ridge High School English teacher and newspaper adviser Tyler Anderson, and grand prize winners Sanvi Challa and Melissa Waas celebrate the two students’ grand prize win at the inaugural Loudoun Now Excellence in High School Journalism Awards.

FEATURE WRITING

Meet the Award Winning Journalists

Grace Armstrong, Potomac Falls High School

“Safe, Secure, and Smiling: An SSO’s mission to make a difference”

Over the course of a month, Armstrong interviewed a fixture at Potomac Falls, Safety and Security Officer Robert “Bob” Sponaugle, to help readers get to know his life and family outside the hallways of the high school, how he sees his work, his sense of humor and his surprising experience—from escorting dignitaries including the Dalai Llama and George W. Bush, to helping facilitate events “trip to the North Pole” holiday plane rides for terminally ill children.

VIDEOGRAPHY

Hailey Thompson, Potomac Falls High School

“Reagan Bischoff: A ‘Throw Leftie’ Story”

Thompson shared the story of Potomac Falls sophomore Reagan Bischoff, who doesn’t let cerebral palsy or partial paralysis on the left side of her body stop her from anything—including playing lacrosse. She interviewed Bischoff, her parents and a teammate and captured dynamic footage of the lacrosse team in action.

NEWSWRITING

Sanvi Challa and Melissa Waas, Rock Ridge High School

“Smoking Out the Truth Surrounding Rock Ridge’s New HALO Smart Sensors”

New sensors installed in high school bathrooms started up confusion and rumors about the devices; Challa and Waas tracked down the story of the HALO Smart Sensors, researching the vaping sensors and school district drug use trends and interviewing a school district spokesman.

PODCASTS

Aline Gonzalez and Samantha Chang, Rock Ridge High School

“The Ever Growing Threat of Ending DEIA Programs”

Gonzalez and Chang spoke with a Loudoun County Public Schools DEIA specialist, a U.S. history teacher and a fellow student about what DEIA means, how LCPS manages DEIA initiatives, and the effects and reaction to the Trump administration’s anti-DEIA orders.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Evelyn Mansaray, Dominion High School

“Powderpuff: The Thrill of Victory”

Mansaray’s camera captured the moment of victory as Ahria Mehta scored a powderpuff touchdown, securing the win for the seniors.

RUNNERS-UP

FEATURE WRITING NEWSWRITING PHOTOGRAPHY

Claire O’Connor, Loudoun Valley High School

Keira McDowell, Freedom High School

PODCASTS

Scarlett Ashford, Loudoun County High School; Vitalina Ulitovska and Hila Hakimi, Dominion High School

Allison Canchanya Bujaico, Park View High School

VIDEOGRAPHY

Marley Vann, Dominion High School

Armstrong Challa Waas

Gonzalez

Mansaray

Thompson

Chang

Drive social progress

Equinix empowers human connections and enables innovations that enrich our work, lives and planet.

We champion belonging for all, fostering a people-centered culture and working to close the digital divide in the communities where we build, work and live.

EQUINIX IS PROUD TO SPONSOR

EQUINIX CONGRATULATES THE 2025 WINNERS OF

Loudoun Now’s Excellence in

High School Journalism Awards

Good luck to all the participating students and teachers on May 28!

Thank you journalism teachers and good luck Class of 2025 graduates!

Congratulations to all the 2025 Winners of the Excellence in High School Journalism Awards and a heartfelt thanks to the educators who inspire and guide them in this important work of shaping our civil society.

Blue Lion Multimedia

Almost 200 people—students, teachers, friends, and family—attended the inaugural Loudoun Now Excellence in High School Journalism Awards Wednesday, May 28.

Celebrating Loudoun’s Student Journalists with Google’s Support

The Loudoun Now Excellence in High School Journalism Awards, presented by Google, encourages student journalists to produce exceptional work in news and feature writing, podcasts and videos, photography and more. They are building skills to thrive as citizens in the digital economy. Together, we’re investing in the next generation of storytellers. Supporting education, opportunity, community and innovation in Loudoun County.

BCT PRESENTS JOURNALISM AWARDS

Congratulations to our budding news reporters! We were honored to sponsor Loudoun Now’s 2025 Excellence in High School Journalism Awards.

We offer Student Checking with Debit Card Controls. Stop by one of our convenient branches to open.

Leesburg: 703-777-6319 I Middleburg: 540-687-6132 I Purcellville: 540-619-2913

A newsworthy partnership.

Loudoun Now is your local, trustworthy, nonprofit newsroom.

No matter what your number-one local issue, local news matters to you—our community needs conscientious journalism and information we can count on. Your gift helps sustain and grow our newsroom, cover more stories across more platforms, and inform more people in new ways.

Join us at LoudounNow.com/donate. And thank you.

LIVE MUSIC

TEJAS SINGH

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 5

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

BAILEY HAYES

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 6

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

DEREK KRETZER

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 6

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

JASON MASI

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 6 Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

SOMETHINGS BREWING

5 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 6

Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. villageatleesburg.com

JON WATKINS

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 6

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

WILLIE WHITE

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 6

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

MELISSA QUINN FOX

5 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 6

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

CHRIS BOWEN

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 6

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

TAYLOR CARSON DUO

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

ROXANNE COOK

7 to 10 p.m. Friday, June 6

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

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 26

Artists Prepare for Western Loudoun Art and Studio Tour

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Artists across western Loudoun have been hard at work to get ready for this weekend’s Art and Studio Tour which will feature the works of over 40 creators across a variety of mediums.

The three-day event welcomes the public into the artists’ homes, studios or businesses to give them an up-close look at how they go about creating each piece. Community members are encouraged to visit multiple studios without the pressure of having to buy something, according to Franklin Parks Performing and Visual Arts Center Director Elizabeth Bracey.

“The artists are not always expecting people to buy things during the tour. It’s certainly nice when people walk out with a painting … but it’s really an opportunity for them, as well as the community, to just really spend some time getting to know each other. And there are very few, I think, events like this where you don’t feel obligated to buy something at the gift shop,” Bracey said.

While art can often feel like a somewhat elitist interest, Bracey said the tour gives people a chance to see what they like and talk one-on-one with the creators.

“The exhibit really makes art and artists more accessible to the general community, so they can be in a studio and watch the artists creating their jewelry or their pottery, or the painters can explain how they use their different tools. … It gives them an opportunity to interact in a way that is very encouraging and welcoming and I think builds a respect for the visual arts community, which has a long tradition in Loudoun County,” she said.

The tour, which is primarily volunteer-run, was first held in 2006, which would have made this year its 20th year; however, a two-year break was taken in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic. Bouncing back and reengaging both the public and the artist community was a bit of a challenge, according to Planning Committee Chair G’Ann Zieger.

“Elizabeth had this great idea of having an exhibit at Franklin Park for the month of May, where each of the artists would bring one piece of artwork and have it on display for the month of May, and then the tour would start in June,” Zieger said. “And it was huge because

the artists themselves, they never get to go on the tour, because they’re artists on the tour. … We had a reception for them, and it was so interesting to watch the artists interact with each other.”

That seemed to do the trick in 2022 and the arts center has been hosting the reception and display each year since, Zieger said.

Bracey and Zieger said picking their favorite stop on the tour would be like choosing a favorite child as they are both avid art enthusiasts and artists.

“It’s impossible, because there’s just such a wealth of just incredible art and amazing artists in just western Loudoun County,” Zieger said.

Work to plan the tour begins in September each year as the committee begins meeting to work on the logistics of annual event.

“We start our call for artists at the beginning of November. We take December off, because everybody’s busy over the holidays, and then at the end of January the call for artist ends and then by the middle of February, then we submit the call to our jurors, we look at the jury results, and then we choose the artists,” Zieger said.

Typically, the tour pool is made up of about 20% new artists each year.

Once they are chosen, the real work begins.

“From the middle of February until [June], it’s pretty labor intensive, because that’s when we produce all of our website, our printed materials, all of our publicity, all of the things that we do to support the artists,” Zeiger said.

Once the tour is over, supplies are picked from the studios, surveys are sent out and grant writing begins.

Operating the tour financially is very reliant on grants, Zieger said, and Bracey added that 95% of the work done is completed by volunteers.

“Everything that we collect, both from grants, from our advertisers, from the artist, fees, everything goes towards the production of the tour,” Zieger said.

The tour will take place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, although not every studio will be open on Friday. Community members can go to the tour website at wlast.org to learn more and find the list of participating artists. Physical copies can also be picked up at Purcellville Town Hall, the Purcellville Library and the Franklin Park Arts Center. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Visitors shop handmade items at a studio along the Western Loudoun Art and Studio Tour June 2, 2023.

APPALACHIAN TRAIL FESTIVAL

Saturday, June 7, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hillsboro’s Old Stone School loudounat.org

Enjoy a full day of activities celebrating the Appalachian Trail with live music, kid’s activities, art show and trail talks, including by Sen. Tim Kaine. A ticketed Eat, Drink & Be Literary talk on Friday night features author Mills Kelly.

GET OUT LIVE MUSIC

GARY PALUMBO

7 to 10 p.m. Friday, June 6

The Dell: Food & Brew Hall, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. atthedell.com

ROWDY ACE BAND

9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, June 6

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

JOE HEILMAN

12 to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Honor Brewing Company - Loudoun, 42604 Trade West Dr., Sterling. honorbrewing.com

CHRISTOPHER HAMMOCK

12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 7 Cana Vineyards, 38600 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. canavineyards.com

FURNACE MOUNTAIN BAND

12 to 1:15 p.m. Saturday, June 7 Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. loudounat.org

ROB HOEY

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. fabbiolicellar.com

FELIX PICKLES

1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

LEANNAN SHI

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

BEST BETS

BURN THE BALLROOM

Saturday, June 7, 7 p.m. (doors) Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

The DC-based alternative rock band partners with the U.S. State Department’s American Music Abroad program to represent American rock music around the globe.

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Three Creeks Winery, 18548 Harmony Church Road, Hamilton. 3creekswinery.com

LINDSAY AUSTIN DUO

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7 Fleetwood Farm Winery, 23075 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. fleetwoodfarmwinery.com

DAVID THONG

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

ZACH JONES

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

MATT BURRIDGE

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

MELISSA & THE MOTH MEN

1:45 to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. loudounat.org

MATT DAVIS

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

STEALIN THE DEAL TRIO

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

MO AND MARY MAC

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com

JOE MARTIN

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

WESTERN LOUDOUN STUDIO ART & STUDIO TOUR

Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. wlast.org

In its 18th year, the tour showcases the works of more than 40 Loudoun County artists through special exhibits and open-house studio visits.

Middleburg. chrysaliswine.com

DENNIS WAYLAND

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

DAN BARRY

2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Old Farm Winery at Hartland, 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie. oldfarmwineryhartland.com

ACOUSTIC SOUL

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

RYAN SILL

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

ALEX PAREZ

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Twin Oaks Tavern Winery, 18035 Raven Rocks Road, Bluemont. twinoakstavernwinery.com

DOUG BELL

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Two Twisted Posts Winery & Tavern, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. twotwistedposts.com

SHANE HINES

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

JIM STEELE

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Barnhouse Brewery, 43271 Spinks Ferry Road, Leesburg. barnhousebrewery.com

LILLIAN HACKETT

3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Saturday, June 7

DAN BARRY

4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 7

The Dell, 1602 Village Market Blvd. SE., Leesburg. atthedell.com

NEW LEGACY BLUES

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

ARM THE TRACK

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

THE COOZIES

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Honor Brewing Company, 42604 Trade West Drive, Sterling. honorbrewing.com

ROWDY ACE

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

JULIET LLOYD TRIO

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

STEVE BOYD & FRIENDS

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 7

868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. 868estatevineyards.com

GREGGIE AND THE JETSELTON JOHN TRIBUTE

6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Tarara Vineyards, 13648 Tarara Lane, Leesburg. $20. tararaconcerts.com

SHANE GAMBLE

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive,

continued from page 25 LIVE MUSIC continues on page 29

Chrysalis Vineyards, 39025 Little River Turnpike,

Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. loudounat.org

DAVID ANDREW SMITH

LO VE

Why I Love Loudoun: Gertrude Evans

School, my alma mater.

FAVORITE EVENT IN LOUDOUN TO GO TO?

Leesburg resident Gertrude Evans was one of the last students at the African-American Douglass High School in Leesburg before it closed in 1968 after desegregation. A former Loudoun County government employee, she is a working artist.

FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT IN LOUDOUN?

Mama Lucci’s on Catoctin Circle in Leesburg is one of my favorite places for lunch. I love the eggplant parmesan.

BEST HIDDEN GEM IN LOUDOUN?

Since I’m a history buff, I would say Thomas Balch Library is a gem as are the backroads of rural western Loudoun, which are hidden to most. Loudoun’s countryside is beautiful and filled with historic sites.

WHAT’S A MUST-SEE PLACE FOR AN OUT-OF-TOWN VISITOR?

The historic mansions and grounds of Morven Park, Oatlands Historic House & Gardens and the Historic Douglass High

The annual “I Have a Dream March & Celebration” that takes place in Leesburg on Martin Luther King Day in January.

WHAT’S A FUN FACT TO SHARE ABOUT LOUDOUN?

That we don’t see ourselves as southern, although we live in a southern state. When meeting out-of-towners in other states I always say, “I’m from Northern Virginia.”

WHAT KIND OF ART DO YOU DO?

I paint scenes from everyday life, historical events, local scenes, portraits and landscapes. I work in many mediums –acrylic, pastels, watercolor, oils, pens and pencils and charcoal.

YOU WON A LEESBURG ARTS & CULTURAL DISTRICTS BANNER CONTEST – WHAT PIECE OF YOURS WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE VISITOR CENTER IN LEESBURG?

I will be showcasing my artwork in June and July along with the other winners. My banner depicts the 2023 Martin Luther King Day march in downtown Leesburg.

HOW MANY DOUGLASS SCHOOL ALUMNI STILL RESIDE IN LOUDOUN?

Not many as many have died or

moved away in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s for better opportunities.

HAVE YOU BEEN BACK SINCE IT BECAME THE HISTORIC DOUGLASS HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY CENTER?

Yes, often. From 2021 to 2023 I served on the Douglass High School Commemorative Committee comprised of Alumni and historical organizations. We worked with the LCPS staff and the architect to develop and approve all the ideas and art used to commemorate the history and

Celebrating the Appalachian Trail

On Saturday, Loudouners will celebrate their backyard access to the 2,190-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail that crosses 14 states from Georgia to Maine during a day-long festival in Hillsboro.

It is the sixth year for Loudoun’s AT Festival, a joint effort of the certified Appalachian Trail communities of Bluemont, Hillsboro and Round Hill.

Last year’s festival attracted some 2,000 participants for a day of live music, talks by hiking experts, nature crafts, a nature-inspired art show, kids activities and more.

Activities kick off Friday night at the Old Stone School with the opening of the Take a Walk on the Wild Side invitational art show at 6 p.m. and a ticketed Eat Drink & Be Literary lecture at 7 p.m. featuring hiker/historian/author/ podcaster Mills Kelly. His latest book, “A Hiker’s History of the Appalachian Trail,” is a comprehensive chronicle

struggle of the Black community to get the school built.

THE ART AT THE SCHOOL IS WONDERFUL – WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE?

The two sculptures: Frederick Douglass sitting on the bench and the sculpture of the boy and girl walking uphill in front of the building. I also like the mural in the Knox Daniel and Hankerson Building. I had a chance to see the artist working on it in real-time.

JUNE 21 IS THE ANNUAL BURG FAMILY REUNION AT IDE LEE COMMEMORATING JUNETEENTH. WILL YOU ATTEND AND WHAT HAPPENS AT THE EVENT?

I haven’t attended yet. I do attend the Emancipation Day Celebration in Purcellville that takes place every September at the Carver Center in Purcellville. Emancipation Day celebrates the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln on Sept. 22, 1862, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate states to be free.

HOW SHOULD PEOPLE IN LOUDOUN COMMEMORATE JUNETEENTH?

In whatever way they feel comfortable. There are many activities around Loudoun and in neighboring communities. I will probably devote my day to doing some commemorative artwork. I did some artwork when it became an official holiday. n

of the trail told through the experience of hikers.

On Saturday, the festival grounds open at 11 a.m. with a formal welcoming ceremony at 11:30 a.m.

From there, the program features music by the Furnace Mountain Trio, Melissa and the Moth Men, and Lillian Hackett, and talks by experienced hikers on the challenges of tackling a throughhike along the entire trail and the best places for day hikes. Sen. Tim Kaine will speak at 1:30 p.m. about his book, “Walk Ride Paddle,” the result of a three-part journey across the commonwealth following the Jan. 6 riot at the capitol.

In addition to the works on display at the art show, visitors will have the opportunity to buy T-shirts and other merchandise and from an online auction.

The Old Stone School is located at 37098 Charles Town Pike.

For full details, go to loudounat.org. n

Evans

Polo Season Opens at Morven Park

The Polo in the Park summer Saturday night tradition kicks off June 7 at Morven Park.

For six weeks, visitors are invited to the historic 1,000-acre estate near Leesburg to picnic at the arena and cheer on the top polo players through two fast-paced matches.

“We’re thrilled to offer polo to the community again this summer,” said Stacey Metcalfe, Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation/Morven Park’s Executive Director and CEO. “Each year proves to be better than the last, and it has become the can’t-miss event and the best party in Loudoun. We are excited to continue the tradition this year.”

The first match begins at 7 p.m. Spectators are encouraged to picnic and enjoy their beverage of choice on the terraced viewing area next to the arena.

The matches will be held on Saturday night through July 19, with the exception of July 5.

General Admission car passes are $40 and special tailgate spots may be reserved. For the full schedule and tickets, go to PoloInThePark.org. n

from page 26

Sterling. crookedrunfermentation.com

BRITTON JAMES

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 7

The Bungalow Lakehouse, 46116 Lake Center Plaza, Sterling. bungalowlakehouse.com

BOBBY CRIM

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 7

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

BURN THE BALLROOM

7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $21.50. tallyhotheater.com

JUMPTOWN

7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 7

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. $25. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

BADLANDS

9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, June 7

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

MELISSA QUINN FOX

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 8

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

LENNY BURRIDGE

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 8

Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. fabbiolicellars.com

NATHANIEL DAVIS

1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8

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

ROB HOEY

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 8

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

RYAN SILL

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, June 8

Fleetwood Farm Winery, 23075 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. fleetwoodfarmwinery.com

BEN FISHER

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, June 8 8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

JASON MASI

1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, June 8

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

MARK CULLINANE

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8

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

SCOTT KURT

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8 Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane,

Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com

CALEB HACKER

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8

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

MOON MUSIC

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8

Old Farm Winery at Hartland, 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie. oldfarmwineryhartland.com

KEN WENZEL

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8

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

JESSICA PAULIN

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8

Twin Oaks Tavern Winery, 18035 Raven Rocks Road, Bluemont. twinoakstavernwinery.com

JASON & MICHELLE HANNAN

4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 8

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

DAVE MININBERG

4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 8

The Bungalow Lakehouse, 46116 Lake Center Plaza, Sterling. bungalowlakehouse.com

THE WARPED BAND

7 to 11 p.m. Thursday, June 12

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

THE CHUCK WAGON GANG

7 to 11 p.m. Thursday, June 12

Lovettsville Baptist Church, 49 S. Loudoun St., Lovettsville. thechuckwagongang.net

HAPPENINGS

FARMER FOR A DAY

9 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 5

9 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 6

9 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 12

Temple Hall Farm Regional Park, 15855 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. novaparks.org

WRITING IN NATURE

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, June 5 Morven Park Grounds, 17339 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg. loudounwildlife.com

STORYTIME ON THE FARM

2 to 2:45 p.m. Thursday, June 5

2 to 2:45 p.m. Thursday, June 12

Temple Hall Farm Regional Park, 15855 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. novaparks.org

TALES AND ALES

STORYTELLING WORKSHOP

5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 5

Loudoun Brewing Company, 310 E. Market St., Leesburg. $20. novatalesandales.com

WESTERN LOUDOUN ART & STUDIO TOUR,

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, June 6

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8 Across western Loudoun County. wlsat.org

EAT, DRINK & BE

LITERARY: MILLS KELLY

6 to 10 p.m. Friday, June 6

Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town

Pike, Hillsboro. $15. oldstoneschool.org

LEESBURG FARMERS MARKET

8 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 7

Leesburg Farmers Market, 30 Catoctin Circle SE., Leesburg. loudounfarmersmarkets.org

HISTORY SHARE DAY

10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 7 Loudoun Museum, 16 Loudoun St. SW., Leesburg. loudounmuseum.org

LOUDOUN APPALACHIAN TRAIL FESTIVAL

11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 7 Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. loudounat.org

LAND BEER FEST

11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 7 Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery, 38506 John Wolford Road, Waterford. wheatlandspring.com

SENATOR TIM KAINE’S ‘WALK RIDE PADDLE’

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7 Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. loudounat.org

CHARLESTON BATTERY AT LOUDOUN UNITED FC

6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 7 Segra Field, 42095 Loudoun United Drive, Leesburg. loudoununitedfc.com

POLO IN THE PARK

6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Morven Park International Equestrian Center, 41580 Sunday Morning Lane, Leesburg. $40/car. morvenpark.org

TOSS FOR A CAUSE

CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT

12 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 8 Lakes Community Center Pool, 44078 Cheltenham Circle, Ashburn. $20. irishrosecornhole.com

MARRIED TO A MOSBY RANGER AFTERNOON TEA

1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 8 Aldie Mill Historic Park, 39401 John Mosby Highway, Aldie. $40. novaparks.org

DANCE, DANCE & REVOLUTION

2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 8 Loudoun Museum, 16 Loudoun St. SW., Leesburg. $15. loudounmuseum.org

LOUDOUN STATION’S MOVIE: INSIDE OUT

6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, June 8 Loudoun Station, 43751 Central Station Drive, Ashburn. loudounstation.com

LOUDOUN ON TAP

5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 11

Morven Park, 17339 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg. $60. loudounchamber.org

COMPLIMENTARY LINE DANCING

LESSONS

6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 11

Solace Brewing Company, 42615 Trade W. Drive, Sterling. solacebrewing.com

BUSINESS @ BREAKFAST 8 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday, June 12

Belmont Country Club, 19661 Belmont Manor Lane, Ashburn. $35. loudounchamber.org

Obituaries

Joseph “Joe” Popple

Joseph “Joe” Popple, age 90, of Leesburg, VA, passed away peacefully at Capital Caring’s beautiful Adler Hospice Center on May 25, 2025. Joe was the last of six children born to Alexander Popple and Josephine Colorusso Popple, on January 18, 1935. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Anthony, Phyllis, Ida, and Mary. Even though Joe had the fortune of being well-traveled, and enjoyed several lovely homes during his lifetime, the house at #327 Philadelphia Avenue, West Pittston, PA was always “home” to Joe.

While serving in the U.S. Navy, Joe married his beloved wife, Judy Gommer, also a Wilkes graduate, on May 24, 1958. Joe and Judy left their small Pennsylvania hometowns of West Pittston and Forty-Fort, and settled near Washington D.C. They raised their family in Vienna and Oakton, VA and together, they shared 67 years of marriage filled with love, partnership, and Family.

Joe earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Wilkes College and a Master of Public Administration from George Washington University. He proudly served his country as a

Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1956 to 1959, following his graduation from the Navy Supply Corps School. Following his military service, Joe began a distinguished career in civil service in 1960. He served for many years as the Deputy Comptroller of the U.S. Air Force, and achieved SES status. Joe earned the Meritorious Executive Award from President Ronald Reagan in the 1980’s, and retired from civil service in 1990. Joe then founded JP Associates, Inc. in 1995. One of JPA’s crowning achievements was the development and deployment of the Commanders’ Resource Integration System (CRIS), a vital tool in use across the Air Force to this day.

Above all else, Joe loved his family. He delighted in the simple joys of life— cheering on his favorite football teams, savoring a pot of sauce and a side dish of meatballs, enjoying a cold beer, and, on occasion, a fine scotch. But perhaps what friends and loved ones will remember most is his booming laugh—a sound that could fill a room and lift every spirit in it and his big, warm smile. Joe had a gift for making people feel welcome, valued, and loved. Joe engaged with absolutely everyone he met and was a friend to all. Joe is survived by his devoted wife, Judy; his two adoring daughters, Holly and Kimberly (Michael); two cherished grandchildren, Meagan and Chad; his step-granddaughter Nicole Carren Hill (Andrew) and two beautiful great- granddaughters, Reilly Moore Hill and Reese Carren Hill, of Atlanta, GA, and his beloved sister, Helen P. Battle, age 99, of West Pittston, PA.

A memorial service will be held at St. James’ Episcopal Church in Leesburg, VA, on June 14th at 1:00 p.m., to celebrate Joe’s life and honor his legacy of service to his Country and his love of people. All attendees are asked to wear Joe’s favorite color blue. Inurnment at St. James’ columbarium will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers please donate to Capital Caring Health, The Adler Center for Caring, Falls Church VA.

Betty Lowenbach

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Betty Ellmore Lowenbach, who died peacefully on May 30, 2025, at the age of 87. Born on December 23, 1937 and a lifelong resident of Leesburg, Virginia, Betty was a devoted wife, loving mother, cherished grandmother, and dedicated member of her community. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Franklin Ellmore and Susanna Trussell Ellmore, and her beloved husband of 65 years, Robert Lewis Lowenbach.

A Life of Faith, Education, and Service Betty’s life was marked by her unwavering faith and commitment to education. After graduating in 1955 as part of the first graduating class of Loudoun County High School, she pursued higher education, earning her degree from James Madison College in 1959 and later a master’s degree from George Washington University. Her passion for teaching touched many lives. Betty began her career at Loudoun Country Day School for two years before spending five years at the National Children’s Rehabilitation Center. She then dedicated 26 years to Fairfax County Public Schools, shaping young minds at Herndon Elementary School.

A faithful servant, Betty joined Leesburg Presbyterian Church in 1958. Her commitment to her faith community was evident in her many roles, including Deacon, Elder, and Sunday School teacher for over 40 years. She also generously gave her time to the Nominating Committee and the Women’s Circle, where she led bible lessons. Retirement and Community Involvement Upon retiring from teaching at age 57, Betty embraced a new chapter of service, joining the Ladies Board of INOVA Loudoun Hospital. For over 25 years, she was an exceptionally active member, holding numerous leadership positions, including President, Education Committee leader, treasurer, and secretary. Her dedication to the Ladies Board showcased her tireless commitment to her community.

A Legacy of Love, Betty found joy in life’s simple pleasures. She was an avid reader, enjoyed music, particularly hymns, and created lasting memories camping and trailering across the country.

Betty is survived by her loving sister, June Ellmore Wiggins, and her three devoted children: Robert L. Lowenbach, Jr. and his partner Lori, Laura Lowenbach and her partner Steve, and J. Matthew Lowenbach and his wife Susie. She leaves behind four adoring grandchildren: Carter Grant and his wife Chelsie, Callie Kleffman and her husband Hunter, Nina Dawes and her husband Tyler, and Noah Lowenbach and his partner Jayne. Betty was also blessed with four great-grandchildren: Sara Grant, Casey, Elsie, and Cooper Kleffman, who brought immense joy to her later years. Betty Sue Ellmore Lowenbach will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her kindness, dedication, and loving spirit will forever remain in the hearts of her family and friends.

A visitation was held on Tuesday, June 3 at Loudoun Funeral Chapel from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. Services were held on Wednesday, June 4 at Leesburg Presbyterian Church at 2:00 pm with a reception that followed. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Leesburg Presbyterian Church (preschool and/or youth) and Blue Ridge Hospice.

James Stephen “Steve” Williams

James Stephen “Steve” Williams, 80 of Leesburg, Virginia passed away on Thursday, May 29, 2025, in the comfort of his home surrounded by his loving family in Winchester, Virginia.

Born Monday, January 8, 1945, to the late Alfred W. Williams Sr. and Lottie Polen Williams in Leesburg, Virginia. He was the youngest of six children.

He was a graduate of Loudoun County High School Class of 1964. Steve was the proud owner of Williams Inc.’s service and towing station in Leesburg, Virginia and Williams Racing, a Thoroughbred breeding and racing company.

Steve leaves behind his loving family to cherish his memory including his high school sweetheart and beloved wife of 60 years, Carol Bury Williams. Four beloved children, Daughter Kimberly W. Ratcliff (Kim) and husband David Ratcliff, Daughter Jennifer W. Lanham (Jen) and husband Petie Lanham, Son Ted Stephen Williams and wife Tristan Williams and Daughter, Karri W. Fairchild. His Brothers, Alfred W. Williams Jr. (Billy), Frank C. Williams (Frankie) and Donald B. Williams (Donnie). Seven Grand Daughters, Charlotte R.  and husband Sam Griffith, Harleigh H. Ratcliff, Payton H. Lanham, Karson N. Lanham, Gabriella M. Williams, Evelyn A. Williams, Elli- Paige A. Fairchild. and one Great Grandson, Walker D. Griffith.  Steve was predeceased by his Parents, Alfred and Lottie Williams, Brother, Ted B. Williams and Sister Betty W. Fiske.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 5, 2025, from 10 to 11 am at Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Cir. SE, Leesburg, VA 20175. The Funeral Service will immediately follow, beginning at 11 am. Steve will be laid to rest at Leesburg Union Cemetery, 323 N King St, Leesburg, VA 20176.

The Pallbearers will be Eric McCauley, Mark Simmons, Ronnie Hawes, Tony "Toe Toe" Anderson, Craig Myers, and Wesley Thompson.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Steve’s memory to the Tunnel to Towers, Epilepsy Foundation, or the American Cancer Society.  Online condolences may be made to the family at www.loudounfuneralchapel.com

Legal Notices

Loudoun County Public Schools Dulles South Secondary School Attendance Zone Change Process Spring 2025

The Loudoun County School Board has scheduled a series of meetings to facilitate the review of Dulles South area secondary school attendance zones. The current boundaries for Freedom High School/J. Michael Lunsford Middle School, John Champe High School/Mercer Middle School, and Lightridge High School/Willard Middle School will be reviewed in the attendance zone process.

Tuesday, May 20, 2025* 4:30 pm/6:30 pm

Monday, June 2, 2025 6:30 pm

Tuesday, June 10, 2025* 4:30 pm/6:30 pm

*Regular School Board Business Meeting

Board Adoption of Secondary

Attendance Zone Changes (Action Item)

The meetings will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn) and broadcast live on Comcast channel 18 or 1070 (HD) and Verizon Fios channel 43, as well as viewable via 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 www.LCPS.org/2025DSBoundary.

Details on how to sign up to speak at an attendance zone public hearing will be provided at www.LCPS.org/citizenparticipation.

Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any 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

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

PLAT-2025-0114

Stone Hill

Ms. Angela Rassas, of Toll VA LLP, of Reston, VA is requesting preliminary plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately sixteen (16.6) acres into eighty-five (85) lots and associated easements. The property is located south of Evergreen Ridge Drive (Route 3100) and east of Loudoun County Parkway (Route 607). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 123-15-0056-000 and 123-25-5394-000 in the Sterling Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http:// www.loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0114. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Samantha Lockwood at Samantha.Lockwood@Loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by June 25, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

5/22, 5/29, 6/5, 6/12 & 6/19/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

PLAT-2025-0072

Tillett’s View

Mr. Christopher Spahr, of Pulte Home Company LLC, of Fairfax, VA is requesting preliminary/record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately eighteen (18.60) acres into forty-four (44) lots, two (2) open space parcel, and associated easements. The property is located north of Waxpool Road (Route 900), west of Claiborne Parkway (Route 901), south of Black Angus Drive, and east of Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as MCPI #156-26-4485-000 and MCPI #156-36-3643-000 in the Broad Run Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0072. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Vaughn Bynoe at Vaughn.Bynoe@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by July 9, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

6/5, 6/12, 6/19, 6/26, 7/3/25

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

LVZA 2025-0001, AMEND ARTICLE 42-VI, RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS ARTICLE 42-IX, OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION SPACE

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-2204, 15.2-2253, and 15.2-2286 of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended, the LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing at its meeting on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 6:30 pm, in the Town Council Chambers, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia, to consider an amendment to Chapter 42, Articles VI and IX of the Zoning Ordinance. Written comments regarding this item can be submitted to clerk@lovettsvilleva.gov by 3:00 pm 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 amendments to the Zoning Ordinance that would require open space for residential subdivisions proposing more than 5 lots, and would remove a requirement that 50% of the open space be designed to accommodate ballfields, swimming pools, or other active recreation.

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.

The proposed amendment is available for review at the Town website at: www.lovettsvilleva.gov/ government/planning-commission/. You may also request a copy be sent to you via phone or 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 at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Lovettsville Town Council.

5/29, 6/5

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS FOR:

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING INSPECTION (CEI) SERVICES FOR STERLING BOULEVARD EXTENSION, RFP No. 677872 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, June 25, 2025.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND SOIL SCIENTIST SERVICES, RFP No. 675852 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, June 25, 2025.

LEACHATE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, TROUBLESHOOTING, REPAIR & REPORTING SERVICES - REISSUE, RFP No. 677876 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, June 23, 2025.

TASK ORDER TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND OPERATION SERVICES, RFP No. 676856 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, July 16, 2025.

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

6/5/25

Deli Italiano Leesburg INC., trading as Deli Italiano Leesburg, 3 Catoctin Circle Southeast, Leesburg, VA 20175. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Retail Restaurant or Caterer Application Restaurant, Wine, Beer, Consumed On and Off Premises license. Yasser Baslios, owner.

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

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

5/29 & 6/5/25

ABC LICENSE

PUBLIC NOTICE IN THECIRCUIT COURT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY

IN RE: ESTATE OF GARY J. BARTON, II Probate File No. 20189

SHOW CAUSE ORDER

It appearing that reports of the accounts of Melissa Brooker, Administrator c.t.a. of the Estate of Gary J. Barton, II, deceased (“Estate”), and of debts and demands against the Estate having been filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Loudoun County, and that more than six months have elapsed since qualification of the Administrator before this Court, and further that the Estate is insolvent;

IT IS ORDERED that the creditors of, and all others interested in the Estate of Gary J. Barton, II, deceased, do show cause, if any they can, on Friday July 18, 2025 at 9:00 am, before this Court at its courtroom in Leesburg, Virginia, against payment and delivery of said Estate to the Estate’s creditors, after payment of remaining administrative expenses, in accordance with Virginia Code § 64.2-528, with such refunding bonds or surety as the Court prescribes or the Administrator determines is appropriate.

6/5 & 6/12/25

Omar Enterprise, LLC, trading as Sakura Grill Ashburn, 43670 Greenway Corporate Dr. STE 112, Ashburn, VA. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Restaurant, Wine, Beer, Mixed Beverages, Consumed On and Off Premises application.

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

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

6/5 & 6/12/25

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Legal Notices

TO CONSIDER ACQUISITION BY CONDEMNATION AND TO AUTHORIZE PAYMENT OF JUST COMPENSATION FOR REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF LEESBURG, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA, FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING STREET IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE VETERANS PARK AT BALLS BLUFF PROJECT

A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT ON AND ACROSS REAL PROPERTY DESIGNATED AS:

PIN 186-10-4443-000, TAX MAP NO. /40/A/6/////A/

The LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on

TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.

in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176, to consider the following Resolution:

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION BY CONDEMNATION AND FILING OF A CERTIFICATE OF TAKE FOR A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT FOR THE PUBLIC PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING STREET IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE VETERANS PARK AT BALLS BLUFF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

The proposed Resolution would correct an inaccuracy and authorize a larger temporary construction easement than previously authorized in Resolution 2025-047, dated February 25, 2025, on and across: PIN 186-10-4443-000, Tax Map No. /40/A/6/////A/.

The Resolution would also authorize the Town to enter upon the parcel on which the temporary easement area is required, and to begin and continue construction before the conclusion of condemnation proceedings pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 15.2-1901 through 15.2-1904 and Chapter 3 of Title 25.1 (§§ 25.1-300 et seq.); and would further authorize payment of just compensation to the owners of the property.

A copy of the proposed Resolution and additional information will be available beginning on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, from the Town Clerk, Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Eileen Boeing, Clerk of Council at 703-731-2733.

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at 703-771-2733, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 6/5 & 6/12/25

TRUSTEE’S SALE OF

Lot 258, Phase 2, “WOODSTONE”, located at 46706 Bullfinch Square, Sterling, Virginia 20164

Loudoun County parcel identification number (PIN): 014-36-2708-000 Loudoun County tax map number: /81/Q/2///258/

In execution of a Deed of Trust dated December 6, 2023 from Evelyn M. Drouot and Brian D. Nguyen, securing the original principal amount of $200,000.00, recorded in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Loudoun County, Virginia as Instrument Number 20231227-0051197, the undersigned Trustee will offer for sale at public auction to the highest bidder, on Friday, June 13, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., on the front steps of the Charles Hamilton Houston Courthouse located at 8 E. Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, the property described as follows:

Lot 258, Phase 2, “WOODSTONE”, as the same appears duly dedicated, platted and recorded in Deed Book 1098 at Page 1883 and corrected in Deed Book 1125 at Page 798, among the land records of Loudoun County, Virginia.

Street address: 46706 Bullfinch Square, Sterling, Virginia 20164

Sale will be made subject to the lien of a prior Deed of Trust dated August 13, 2018 from Evelyn M. Drouot and Brian D. Nguyen, to Long and Meyhart P.C., as Trustee, for the benefit of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as beneficiary, recorded in the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Loudoun County, Virginia as Instrument Number 20180814-0047633, securing obligations in the original principal amount of $294,500.00, the said prior deed of trust having been assigned to U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association as Indenture Trustee on behalf of and with respect to Barclays Mortgage Trust, 2022-RPL1, Mortgaged-Backed Securities, Series 2022-RPL1, as Indenture Trustee, and Equity Trustees, LLC having been appointed as Substitute Trustee.

Terms: A deposit of Ten Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($10,000.00) shall be required of any bidder, other than the holder of a note secured by either Deed of Trust referenced above, before such bidder’s bid is received. The deposit shall be paid by cash or by certified or cashier’s check payable to Moyes Hanssen Overson, PLLC, Escrow Agent, and shall be refunded to the bidder unless the property is sold to such bidder, in which case it will be applied to such bidder’s credit in settlement. Should purchaser fail to complete the purchase promptly, the deposit shall be applied to pay the cost and expense of sale, and the balance, if any, shall be retained by the Trustee as such Trustee’s compensation in connection with the sale, and the property shall be resold at the risk and costs of the defaulting purchaser

The successful bidder shall be required to close within fourteen (14) days from the date of sale. Time will be of the essence as to the closing date and the payment of the purchase price. Settlement shall be at the office of the Trustee or other mutually agreed location. The balance of the purchase price shall be in cash or its equivalent.

Once a bid has been accepted during the auction, it cannot be withdrawn except by leave of the Trustee. Any bidder who attempts to withdraw such bidder’s bid after it has been accepted by the Trustee may be required to forfeit such bidder’s deposit.

The property and any improvements thereon shall be sold in “AS IS” condition, with all faults and without warranties or guarantees either express or implied. Prospective bidders should investigate the title to the property prior to bidding. The sale of the property is not subject to, or contingent upon, the successful bidder’s ability to obtain title insurance. The successful bidder shall assume all loss or damage to the property from and after the time of sale. Purchaser shall be responsible for all costs of the conveyance, which shall be by special warranty deed, including, but not limited to, the preparation of the deed and the grantor’s tax. Real estate taxes shall be adjusted as of the sale date. The sale is subject to such additional terms as the Trustee may announce at the time of sale. The purchaser will be required to sign a Memorandum of Sale incorporating all the terms of the sale. The Trustee shall not be required to take possession of the property prior to the sale thereof or to deliver possession of the property to the purchaser at the sale.

The Trustee reserves the right to withdraw the property from sale and to reject any bid by declaring “NO SALE” after the last bid received on the property. In the event of postponement of sale, which postponement shall be at the discretion of the Trustee, advertisement of such postponed sale shall be in the same manner as the original advertisement of sale.

Michael J. Overson, Trustee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael J. Overson, Trustee Moyes Hanssen Overson, PLLC

21 N. King Street

Leesburg, Virginia 20176

Telephone: (703) 777-6800

5/29 & 6/5/25

Legal Notices

EARLY VOTING

The Loudoun County Office of Elections reminds voters that early voting opportunities for the June 17, 2025, Democratic Party primary election will expand beginning June 7 to include Saturdays, extended hours and satellite locations.

Early Voting – All registered voters are eligible to vote early in-person. Important Dates for Leesburg Early Voting –

Office of Elections – Leesburg – 750 Miller Drive, SE, Suite 150, Leesburg 20175

• Early voting hours – Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

• Early voting ends Saturday, June 14, 2025.

• Extended hours –

o Tuesday, June 10– office remains open until 7:00 p.m.

o Thursday, June 12 – office remains open until 7:00 p.m.

o Saturday, June 7 and Saturday, June 14 – the office will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Important Dates & Deadlines:

Early voting starts – Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the three satellite early voting locations listed below.

Carver Senior Center – 200 E. Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville 20132

Claude Moore Recreation & Community Center – 46105 Loudoun Park Lane, Sterling 20164 Dulles South Recreation Center – 24950 Riding Center Drive, Chantilly 20152

o Dates and Hours –

• Saturday, June 7, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• Tuesday, June 10, 12:00 – 7:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, June 11, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

• Thursday, June 12, 12:00 – 7:00 p.m.

• Saturday, June 14, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The last day to vote early in the upcoming election is Saturday, June 14, 2025.

To find more information regarding the upcoming election, visit our website at www.loudoun.gov/election.

Judith Brown, General Registrar / 750 Miller Drive, SE, Suite 150, Leesburg, Virginia 20175

Email: vote@loudoun.gov / Telephone: 703-777-0380 / Fax: 703-777-0622

LOUDOUN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLE

6/5/25

Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed Activity in a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Designated Floodplain

To: All interested Agencies, Federal, State, and Local, Groups and Individuals

This is to give notice that Loudoun County as the Responsible Entity under 24 CFR Part 58 has determined that the following proposed action under a Subsidy Layering Review from Loudoun County’s Department of Housing and Community Development is located in the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain, and Loudoun County will be identifying and evaluating practicable alternatives to locating the action within the floodplain and the potential impacts on the floodplain from the proposed action, as required by Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 in Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands. The proposed project location is 20550 Heron Overlook Plaza in Ashburn, Loudoun County, Virginia. The extent of the FFRMS floodplain was determined using the 0.2 percent flood approach (PFA). Based on the findings of recent wetland delineation work and development plans for the site, no wetlands are proposed to be directly or indirectly impacted by the planned project.

The proposed project is focused on providing affordable housing to low-income residents in this area of Loudoun County, Virginia. The Site is approximately 5.42 acres in size and currently consists of open land and a paved parking lot located in a predominantly residential and commercial area of Ashburn, Loudoun County, Virginia. The proposed activities at this Site include the construction of a 94-unit affordable housing complex. The proposed project has been awarded Project-Based Housing Vouchers from Loudoun County’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel 51107C0265E, dated February 17, 2017, and Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) 18-03-0512P, dated September 28, 2018, portions of the Site are located in the 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Hazard Area. The 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Hazard Area, also referred to as the “500-year floodplain” is determined to be the FFRMS floodplain using the 0.2 PFA.

Proposed activities at the Site will include new construction, grading, and paving of parking areas. Approximately 2.46 acres of the FFRMS floodplain are estimated to be directly impacted by the new construction activities. During construction, the Site will adhere to all applicable stormwater and erosion control regulations and will be required to undergo all required local and state floodplain reviews and approvals.

There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in the floodplain and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Commenters are encouraged to offer alternative sites outside of the floodplain, alternative methods to serve the same project purpose, and methods to minimize and mitigate project impacts on the floodplain. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about the floodplain can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in the floodplain, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.

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.

YEAR MAKE MODEL VIN STORAGE PHONE NUMBER

2002 TOYOTA COROLLA 2T1BR32E94C277105 AL’S TOWING 703-435-8888

2003 TOYOTA CAMRY 4T1BF30K83U558018 AL’S TOWING 703-435-8888

2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA 2G1WG5EK0B1246401 AL’S TOWING 703-435-8888

2008 FORD EXPLORER 1FMEU74E68UA64925 AL’S TOWING 703-435-8888

2023 MAXEY TRAILER 5R8BC2426RM110606 BLAIR’S TOWING 703-661-8200

2013 CHANG NANX TRAILER LN2UT1111DZ165095 BODY WORKS 703-777-5727

2016 NISSAN ALTIMA 1N4AL3AP8GN361049 ROAD RUNNER 703-450-7555

2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU 1G11J5SXXDF282104 ROAD RUNNER 703-450-7555 6/5 & 6/12/25

Written comments must be received by Loudoun County at the following address on or before June 19th, 2025. Loudoun County, 106 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg, Virginia 20177 and (703) 737-8323, Attention: George Govan. A full description of the project may also be reviewed from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm at the above address. Comments may also be submitted via email at housing@loudoun.gov.

6/5 & 6/12/25

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING

The LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on the first floor of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

LEGI-2024-0037, COCHRAN TECH: ZMAP-2024-0012, SPEX-2025-0025, SPEX-20250029, & SPEX-2025-0034 (Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exceptions, & Minor Special Exception)

Cochran Tech LC has submitted applications for the following: zoning map amendment, two special exceptions, and one minor special exception for approximately 17.52 acres of land located southwest of the intersection of Leesburg Pike (Route 7) and Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659), northeast of Dulles Greenway (Route 267), and east of Cochran Mill Road (Route 653) in the Leesburg Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as 42427 Cochran Mill Road, Leesburg, Virginia 20175, PIN # 151-40-0958-000 and Tax Map # /61/////////2/.

For ZMAP-2024-0012, the applicant seeks to rezone the property from JLMA-3 (Joint Land Management Area-3) to the IP (Industrial Park) Zoning District and proposes to develop a data center or other industrial uses permitted by the IP Zoning District. For SPEX-2025-0025, the applicant seeks special exception approval to remove the nonconforming status of an existing residential driveway on site. For SPEX-2025-0029, the applicant seeks special exception approval to allow data center use within the IP Zoning District. For SPEX-2025-0034the applicant seeks minor special exception approval to establish an onsite utility scale energy storage use for battery storage.

LEGI-2024-0048, LOUDOUN TECH CENTER BAPS: ZMAP-2024-0016 (Zoning Map Amendment)

Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha – Mid-Atlantic, Inc. has submitted an application for a zoning map amendment for approximately 5.94 acres of land located on the northeast corner of Ridgetop Circle (Route 1790) and Woodshire Drive (Route 1792) in the Route 28 Tax District and the Sterling Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as 21575 Ridgetop Cir, Sterling, Virginia, 20166, PIN #: 020-45-7846-000, and Tax Map /81///6/////5A.

For ZMAP-2024-0016, the applicant seeks to rezone the Subject Property from the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) Zoning District under the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance to the IP (Industrial Park) Zoning District under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance

LEGI-2023-0029, RESIDENCES AT DULLES PLAZA: ZMAP-2022-0002 (Zoning Map Amendment)

NFD Acquisition LLC has submitted an application for a zoning map amendment for approximately 3.51 acres of land located south of Old Ox Road (Route 606), east of Sully Road (Route 28), and on the southwest corner of Dulles Plaza and Shaw Road (Route 636) in the Sterling Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as PIN # 034-26-4101-000 and Tax Map # /94//35////A1/.

For ZMAP-2022-0002, the applicant seeks to rezone the Subject Property from the IP (Industrial Park) Zoning District to the PUD (Planned Unit Development) Zoning District under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance and proposes to develop up to 325 multifamily attached dwelling units.

LEGI-2024-0006, CEDAR LAKE RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITIES: SPEX-2024-0016 (Special Exception)

ABTB Mid-Atlantic, LLC. has submitted an application for a special exception for an approximately 0.451-acre property and a portion of a 4.51-acre property located northeast of the intersection of Leesburg Pike (Route 7) and Cedar Drive (Route 821) along Cedar Lake Plaza in the Algonkian Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as:

PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (PIN)

013-17-8413-000

46901 Cedar Lake Plaza Sterling, Virginia /81/A/8/////1/ 013-18-1315-000

46900 Cedar Lake Plaza Sterling, Virginia /81/A/8/////2/

For SPEX-2024-0016, the applicant seeks special exception approval to permit a restaurant with drivethrough facilities in the CC-CC (Commercial Center – Community Center) Zoning District under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance

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 703777-0246 (option 5), to request hard copies or electronic copies. Additional project files related to land use applications and land use ordinances may be reviewed electronically at loudoun.gov/landmarc. Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www. loudoun.gov/pc. For further information, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 (option 5).

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

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

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

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

BY ORDER OF: CLIFFORD KEIRCE, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

FIND LOCAL EVENTS

6/5 & 6/12/25

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE

N. 21ST STREET SHARED USE PATH PHASE 2

The Town of Purcellville is planning to apply for grant funding for a proposed shared used path along N. 21st Street from the Suzanne Kane Nature Preserve to the W&OD Trail. This proposed path would be Phase 2 of a two-phased project to make a safe bicycle/pedestrian connection from Hirst Road to the W&OD Trail. The Town will be holding a Public Hearing to notify the public about the proposed project and to ensure there is adequate public support for the project at the following date and time:

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

*Alternate Date July 22, 2025

6:00 p.m.

Town Hall Council Chambers

221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, VA 20132

Project Description: Proposed improvements include a ten-foot-wide, asphalt shared use path along the north (east) side of N. 21st Street from the terminus of the shared use path to be constructed in Phase 1 (estimated completion late 2026) to the W&OD Trail. The shared use path would provide safe bicycle and pedestrian access along the corridor. The Town of Purcellville will apply for VDOT Transportation Alternatives funding if there is adequate public support for the project.

At the Public Hearing, conceptual planning documents may be reviewed. This information will also be available 30 days prior to the public hearing at Purcellville Town Hall, 221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, VA 20132. Community input is requested on the proposed project. If you are unable to attend the public hearing, comments can be sent to Jessica Keller, Project Manager, via phone 540-751-2330 or email at jkeller@purcellvilleva.gov. All comments must be submitted to Jessica Keller by July 18, 2025. *In the event of inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances and the July 8, 2025 Public Hearing is cancelled, the Public Hearing will be held on July 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers. If the Public Hearing is held on July 22, 2025, comments must be submitted by August 1, 2025.

The Town of Purcellville ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. All Town government offices can be contacted by dialing 540-338-7421. If you require an accommodation or special assistance for any type of disability or need language assistance, please contact Kimberly Bandy, Town Clerk, at kbandy@purcellvilleva.gov.

6/5/25, 7/3/25

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER MINOR SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION TLSPEX2025-0002 HOTEL BURG ROOFTOP USES IN MECHANICAL PENTHOUSE

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Minor Special Exception application TLSPEX2025-0002 for Madison Dale Consulting, LLC.

The Subject Property for this application is located at 208 South King Street, Leesburg, VA 20175. The property is further described as Loudoun County Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 231-38-1803 and totals 0.6 acres. The property is zoned B-1, Community (Downtown) Business District, and is part of the H-1, Overlay, Old and Historic District.

Minor Special Exception Application TLSPEX2025-0002 is a request by Madison Dale Consulting, LLC to allow rooftop uses in a mechanical penthouse, pursuant to Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance (TLZO) Section 10.4.6.C.8. The Applicant proposes to add bathrooms and a food prep area in the building’s existing mechanical penthouse.

The Subject Property is located in what the Town Plan describes as an “Area to Strengthen (and Protect)” on the Area Based Land Use Initiatives Map (Town Plan pg. 72). The Subject Property is further designated within the Town Plan as “Downtown” on the Character Areas for Preservation and Change Map (Town Plan pg. 76).

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

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

6/5 & 6/12/25

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE

S. 32ND STREET SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS UPC 121759

The Town of Purcellville is in the process of designing a sidewalk and associated improvements along S. 32nd Street from W. J Street to S. Nursery Avenue. The Town will be holding a Design Public Hearing to gain additional input on design elements from the community at the following date and time:

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

*Alternate Date July 22, 2025

6:00 p.m.

Town Hall Council Chambers 221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, VA 20132

Project Description: Improvements will include installing a sidewalk, improved storm sewer system, and minor roadway improvements to address vehicular safety. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalks will provide safe pedestrian access along the corridor and provide a connection between existing pedestrian facilities at J Street and Nursery Avenue. The Town of Purcellville was allocated $2,387,686 in Virginia Department of Transportation Revenue Sharing Funds for this project.

At the Public Hearing, project plans, information about property impacts, right of way policies, the tentative construction schedule, and environmental documents may be reviewed. This information will also be available 30 days prior to the public hearing at Purcellville Town Hall, 221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, VA 20132. Community input is requested on the design details. If you are unable to attend the public hearing, comments can be sent to Jessica Keller, Project Manager, via phone 540-751-2330 or email at jkeller@purcellvilleva.gov. All comments must be submitted to Jessica Keller by July 18, 2025. *In the event of inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances and the July 8, 2025 Public Hearing is cancelled, the Public Hearing will be held on July 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers. If the Public Hearing is held on July 22, 2025, comments must be submitted by August 1, 2025.

Consistent with the Memorandum of Agreement pursuant to Code of Virginia § 10.1-1188-B., VDOT has determined the project will not have significant impacts to the environment and is exempt from the State Environmental Review Process. In compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 and 36 CFR Part 800, information concerning the potential effects of the proposed project on properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places is also available.

The Town of Purcellville ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. All Town government offices can be contacted by dialing 540-338-7421. If you require an accommodation or special assistance for any type of disability or need language assistance, please contact Kimberly Bandy, Town Clerk, at kbandy@purcellvilleva.gov.

6/5/25, 7/3/25

LOUDOUN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE 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.

BLUE MURRAY BIKE MODEL #261035P SO250008480 5/14/25 Sawmill Ln/Harpers Ferry Rd., Purcellville, VA 571-367-8400

ELECTRIC SUNNIGOO SCOOTER SO250009113 5/24/25 Arcola Blvd/Loudoun County Pkwy, Sterling, VA 571-367-8400

NISHIKI PUEBLO BIKE SO250009168 5/25/25 Loudoun County Pkwy/ Arcola Mills Dr., Sterling, VA 571-367-8400

6/5 & 6/12/25

Loco Service Providers

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

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.

hours

We are seeking a student to apply and utilize acquired knowledge in their fields of study. Our part-time/intern(s) will have the opportunity to learn how the Town of Hamilton serves our residents and customers. Applications received will be considered for a combination of learning opportunities. We have a variety of responsibilities such as: Records Retention - Website

- Utility billings/Customer Service - Interfacing with elected officials - Communications with citizens - Accounting & Finance

When applying, please make sure to include specific areas of interest along with your resume/CV to info@hamiltonva.gov

Published by Loudoun Community Media

RENSS GREENE

Executive Director rgreene@loudounnow.org

BILL CLIFFORD

Chief Development Of cer bclifford@loudounnow.org

NORMAN K. STYER

Executive Editor nstyer@loudounnow.org

EDITORIAL

HANNA PAMPALONI Reporter hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

WILLIAM TIMME Reporter wtimme@loudounnow.org

ADVERTISING

SUSAN STYER

Advertising Manager sstyer@loudounnow.org

TONYA HARDING

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Opinion

Making the Commitment

Recent majorities on Purcellville town councils have built solid reputations for discounting the recommendations of its expert advisors. So, there will be no surprise if the current group ignores the new assessment of the town’s Police Department, which found that the skilled and dedicated staff is an extraordinary community asset that is underpaid and inadequately equipped.

In the weeks since the divided council approved a measure to disband the force, members have heard loud and clear that residents value the service. While abandoning the drastic cost-cutting measure, at least for this year, there is little evidence that town leaders are willing to make the investments needed to support the department.

What is needed? To fill recently vacated posts and unfreeze hiring for others to provide adequate staffing. To keep pace with other area departments by offering competitive salaries for officers. And to build the police headquarters that has been delayed for a decade while the department operates in temporary space for yet another lease period. Certainly, these are significant commitments. Providing adequate support for the Police Department is not a year-at-a-time proposition.

During the public appeals to retain the service, residents repeatedly said they were willing to pay the taxes needed to support it. Are they really? Perhaps that will be the focus of next year’s town elections.

Enough is Enough

Editor:

“Zionist” as a pejorative. Zionist Thugs. Zionist pigs. Zio-Nazis. Nazi. Wishing “bad evening” to Zionists. Coughing when Jews are speaking. Following Jews to their cars while yelling obscenities at them.

Divest now. Blood libels. From the river to the sea Palestine will be free. Resistance is justified by any means necessary. Eulogizing terrorists. Denials of Oct 7 atrocities and the Amsterdam pogrom. Genocide. Apartheid. Occupation. Colonizers. Ethnic cleansing. Comparison of Jews to Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels. Semantic hijacking to redefine “antisemitism.” Definition inversion to separate Zionism from its religious roots. And of course, “Free Palestine.”

And the list goes on.

No, this isn’t from Columbia or Harvard encampments, but Loudoun County’s Board of Supervisors meetings. Supervisor Juli Briskman’s antisemitic press release last year catalyzed antiJewish speakers to attend public comment, spewing hate cloaked as “criticism” of Israel to amplify antisemitism and push divestment policies.

The mob ties their cause to unrelated topics—data centers, defense contractors, the Virginia Israel Advisory Board (a state program, not county), immigration,

LETTERS to the Editor

and LCSO attacks—unified by targeting Jews and Israel. Their incendiary rhetoric divides our community. The Jewish community implored the board to denounce this hate, warning it incites violence and speakers are rhetorically lynching Israel and Jews.

One day after our latest plea, Elias Rodriguez murdered two Israeli embassy employees outside the Capitol Jewish Museum in D.C. while shouting “Free Palestine.” In Boulder, CO, Mohamed Sabry Soliman torched elderly protesters at a hostage-release rally while yelling “Free Palestine” — the very phrase Supervisor Saines used during his May 20 board comments while opening the aperture for exploring divestment talks. The same day Supervisor Turner falsely accused Israel of war crimes.

How prophetically chilling.

The rhetoric inciting Rodriguez and Soliman’s violence echoes Loudoun’s boardroom. For over a year, Loudoun’s Jewish community warned it sparks violence. That these attacks weren’t local offers little comfort. Yet, except for Supervisor Umstattd’s regular rebukes and one-time calls from Supervisors Kershner and Letourneau, the board ignores pleas to denounce this hate, hiding behind “First Amendment rights.”

This is nonsense – a deflection if not

outright abdication of responsibility. Allowing free speech does not prevent condemning hateful rhetoric.

Moreover, we must accept an anecdotal truth: The call for “Free Palestine,” preceding most attacks on Jews, mirrors “Heil Hitler.” It’s shorthand for “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free,” urging Jewish extermination. Those saying it, wittingly or otherwise, incite violence against Jews.

Enough is enough. Chair Randall and the board have surrendered the boardroom to an anti-Jewish mob. No civilized space tolerates this unchecked. By ignoring it, they embolden hate, risking further harm. The Board must rebuke this vitriol every time it occurs, protect Jewish constituents, and reclaim control.

Write your county supervisors and demand they end this madness—or at least name it: vile, antisemitic rhetoric that deserves no quarter in Loudoun. Insist they treat it like white supremacist segregation calls: racism disguised as policy.

At the end of the day, there is no difference.

—

Gary L. Katz

LETTERS continues on page 41

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READERS’ poll

What is your need for local retail?

23.4% More dining and food services

18.6% I prefer online shopping

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THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:

We’re celebrating the AT and expanding the county’s network. How often do you hit the trails?

Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls

Letters

continued from page 40

Why?

Editor:

The article regarding “Increased Traffic Stops by the Sheriff's Department” omits a key point -- What is the reason for a deputy to make a traffic stop. If the traffic stop is precipitated by the driver’s color or ethnicity, that is appalling and certainly a reason, and frankly the responsibility of every Loudoun resident to protest.

The article and Sheriff's Office report to the Board of Supervisors omits the reasons for these pull-overs. Do these traffic stops result from the driver violating any Virginia motor vehicle law and regulation? Are there areas of Loudoun County more prone to drivers violating these laws and regulations? Are drivers being stopped by a deputy for speeding, failure to obey a stop sign, running a red light, failure to yield to pedestrians, or driving erratically? If this is the case, then, these are valid reasons for a deputy to pull-over the driver. If this is the reason for the increase in traffic stops, the Sheriff's Office deserves a “Thank You.” If a vehicle is searched following a valid traffic stop and illegal substances or firearms are observed in the vehicle, again, I say thank you.

However, if a traffic stop is not made for a valid reason, and drivers stopped represent people of color or ethnicity that is appalling and we all must speak out against such ugly practices.

— Alan Winn, Ashburn

Trail Loop

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In addition to the PRCS staff, work on the loop was done by the Linear Parks and Trails Subcommittee, which includes representatives from hiking, cycling, kayaking and canoeing and equestrian communities.

“These trails are being built as natural surface trails. We use best practices for sustainably built natural surface trails. Sometimes trails can be visualized as 12-foot-wide paved corridors. That’s not what these are. They’re pretty rustic, and they really immerse you into nature and the environment around you,” Sullivan said.

It’s too early to get an idea of how long it will take to see the trail completed, but portions could be opening soon. The county has already obtained several easements that have not yet resulted in opened trails because there are still “missing links” in between the destinations.

“We don’t want to and don’t feel that it’s right for us to open a trail section if we don’t have the ability to go through to the other trail section,” Torpy said. “But there is a lot of things that we have that are very, very close that when we get this gap or this bridge, it’s going to be a huge impact at one time.”

Learn more about the Loudoun’s Trails and Waterways system at loudoun. gov/5471/Linear-Parks-Trails-System. n

Juneteenth

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to encourage the Tally Ho Theater to desegregate. They were joined by other local teenagers, and it was a huge success, as the Tally Ho would then immediately go on to desegregate.”

“The point I want to make is that you’re never too young to make a difference,” Burk said. “I think the fact that you’re here today being part of this ceremony and studying African American Studies gives you the opportunity to learn from those who have gone before you on how to make your voice heard and to fight for what is right. Juneteenth gives us the opportunity to celebrate freedom, but we also must use this occasion to continue to fight for the freedoms that we that are not enjoyed by all. I encourage all of you here today just to look for ways to serve your community, look to see if there’s injustices that you can correct and things that you can do be part of the change.”

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) emphasized that Juneteenth is not just an African-American celebration.

“This is really important—most of the people in this crowd are people of color, and I get that, and I understand that, but what I want everyone to understand is that Juneteenth is not a Black holiday. Juneteenth is a national holiday, and just like the whole country celebrates the Fourth of July, the whole country should celebrate Juneteenth,” she said. “When Mayor Burk

said to you all think of something to do, go back and do something different, I want you to go back and tell your counterparts who may not look like you, who may not have the exact same melanin as you, or no melanin at all, what Juneteenth is. And when we get to Juneteenth this year and the Juneteenth celebrations, I want you young people to bring your friends with you, because it’s not just enough that you know the story of Juneteenth and what it is, your friends have to know that, too.”

Steve Williams, president of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, continued that theme.

“Juneteenth is an American holiday. It’s not a choice between the Fourth of July and Juneteenth. That’s like a choice between freedom and liberty. You can’t have one without the other,” Williams said.

“The Fourth of July freed the land from the tyranny of British control. Juneteenth freed everybody from the tyranny of slavery,” he said. “To be prejudiced, to be racist is to be un-American. It’s not Black history or African American history; it’s American history. From the very first day in 1619 when those 20 some odd Africans landed, all the way up until today, our contributions have been significant. We are an integral part of the American story.”

In Loudoun County, the Juneteenth ceremony will be held from 10 a.m. to noon June 19 starting at the Charles Hamilton Houston Courthouse. The program includes a march to the Orion Anderson Lynching Memorial. n

Wildlife

continued from page 1

eastern Loudoun,” Coleman said.

It didn’t take long for the conservancy to start getting involved with projects around the county to plant native plants.

“It clicked with a lot of people right away, a lot of people were concerned,” he said.

The conservancy, which is now the largest environmental organization in Loudoun, has five areas of focus: education, citizen science, habitat conservation, conservation advocacy and its 89-acre wildlife sanctuary.

“Citizen science from a high-level view is really just what it suggests,” LWC Executive Director Tom Kercheval said. “It’s a way for your everyday person to be involved in actual scientific surveys. So, the things that they do, the data that they collect is, in almost all cases, shared with other organizations, shared with other scientists to inform bigger studies and broader studies that they’re doing.”

Organization volunteers participate in stream, amphibian and reptile monitoring, bluebird trails and nestbox monitoring and bird and butterfly counts—conducting 47 surveys and collecting approximately 2,000 data points in 2024.

Phil Daley has been volunteering with the conservancy nearly since it was founded and leads one of the stream monitoring projects, the organization’s first citizen science project.

Daley recalled a park naturalist with the Audubon Naturalist Society coming to teach him and other volunteers how to conduct stream monitoring.

“He taught us how to identify the macroinvertebrates, which are the stream critters,” Daley said. “That was our first one I think.”

Education is also a major component of what the conservancy does.

“I think we offered more than 180 free

Nett

continued from page 1

Councilmember Caleb Stought regarding Nett’s participation in discussions surrounding the department from which he had been fired on April 4.

“He is prohibited from all of the following actions: voting on behalf of the police department, attending any closed meeting addressing the police department, participating in transactions relating to the police department, and lobbying or discussing and matter relating to the police department with other town officers,” according to Anderson’s opinion.

Anderson said taking part in any of those actions could be a misdemeanor offense.

education programs last year alone that reached more than more than 4,500 people. So that is crucial,” Kercheval said.

Kercheval, who joined the organization a year ago, said he personally relates to the importance of that branch of the conservancy’s work because he doesn’t come from a conservation background.

“I’m learning new things every day,” he said. “I’ve learned quite a bit already since I started here almost a year ago, but there’s still, obviously, so much more to learn. And I think one of the things that we really want people to understand is that they should feel welcome to learn these things.”

Kercheval said it can feel intimidating to volunteer if a person feels like they don’t know as much as they think they should.

“They think, ‘oh, I’m not an expert in this, and I will feel stupid if I come out and I’m asked questions I don’t know.’ But we’re really trying to create an environment where people feel welcome and understanding that you don’t know what you don’t know and as you learn things, then you can put those into practice in your daily life,” Kercheval said.

Despite successes along the way, Coleman said the negative impacts from development pressures continue to be an issue.

“It’s constantly obvious to us that we need to really get the message out there,” he said. “There are things coming up that really have us concerned like the expansion of Rt. 15, four-laning it north of Leesburg, is going to have an incredible impact on that part of Loudoun County.”

The project is near the conservancy’s JK Black Oak Wildlife Sanctuary.

“[That] is a globally rare wetlands and if the highway gets too close to it, if it intrudes on it, it’s not going to potentially damage it, it’s going to damage it,” Coleman said.

Another concern for the future is the impact that the growing number of data centers will have on the environment, Coleman said.

“Data server farms really make me

Based on Nett’s participation with the contractor hired to conduct an independent review of the police department while still employed with the department, including an effort to be appointed chief by the consultant, and a vote supporting efforts to dismantle the police department after being fired, Anderson said it was his opinion that Nett had violated the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act.

Stought requested clarification on whether Nett could participate in the town’s budget delibrations for fiscal year 2026.

“Vice Mayor Nett is precluded from any and all matters that involve the Purcellville Police Department. If the budget as a whole involves the Purcellville Police Department, then it is included in this opinion,” Anderson’s Chief of Staff Kim

nervous,” he said. “They’re massive amounts of impervious surface, using a tremendous amount of energy and there is no real recognition of the fact that they demand and utilize so much energy that we’re going to actually as a country find incredibly creative ways to find that energy.”

While not a new challenge, the conservancy also continues to fight invasive species which have been in the Loudoun spotlight over the past two years as the spotted lanternfly has caused growing concern among the county’s winegrowers.

“Before the lanternfly, there were others, gypsy moth and different things that just come in inadvertently and they end up being major problems,” Coleman said.

“I certainly heard the term, but I didn’t really realize the problem that they pose and I think many people, if not most, don’t understand that. They will look at something and say, ‘oh, this is beautiful. I want it in my yard.’ But once they learn the problems that that can pose and the alternatives with native plants and how that affects the entire ecosystem, and conversely, how an invasive plant negatively impacts the entire ecosystem, then they feel empowered to make simple changes,” Kercheval said.

While the 30-year anniversary marks a celebration of all the conservancy has accomplished and how much it has grown over the past three decades, Coleman and Kercheval said they hope to continue to grow even more in the coming years.

Crucial to that expansion is a $94,000 grant the organization received this year from Loudoun County government for a nature-based education initiative.

“We’re going to be using those funds partially to hire a director of education for the organization,” Kercheval said.

That position will help expand the conservancy’s existing Peterson Young Naturalist program.

“This is one of the first things that I saw, and it really touched me,” Kercheval said. “It’s a program that goes into schools. It tries to get students outside and involved in

Fernandez wrote in an April 28 email.

Nett’s Complaint for Declaratory Judgement requests that the Circuit Court determine that Anderson’s opinion is “legally and factually erroneous” stating that the opinions have “chilled” his participation in the Town Council and “disenfranchised the majority of the Town’s citizens.”

Nett’s filing states that his participation has not violated the Virginia Conflict of Interest Act and adds that he has requested the Attorney General review Anderson’s opinion, but that he has not received a response from the office.

In April, Attorney General Jason Miyares authorized the Virginia State Police to open an investigation into Nett’s conduct.

Nett states that on Nov. 22, 2024, the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Coucnil executive director

outdoor classroom learning, nature-based education, and it connects with teachers’ curriculum. So, it’s something that we’re already partnering with Loudoun County Public Schools to do.”

The program encourages students to keep nature journals as they identify birds.

“The studies are so clear, and everybody knows instinctively too that students and kids, young people, they’re obviously not getting outside enough,” Kercheval said. “I have two teenage boys, 16 and 14, so I see this every day myself, and fight against it constantly, just this looking at screens and not understanding the value of what’s outside and not gleaning the benefits or just being outside. So, we’re really excited to use this grant to expand our Peterson Young Naturalist program, as well as to get many of our other programs into the schools.”

From the beginning, Coleman said the work of the conservancy has been about preserving the many amazing facets of nature that the county has to offer.

“Nature is absolutely fascinating,” he said. “I think one of the first things with Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy that we recognized early on is that it really enriches people’s lives and the world,” Coleman said. “And other thing, it improves our quality of life immensely. If nature is healthy, it means humankind is also health and when nature isn’t healthy, if issues are arising because of climate change, or even a temporary drought or something like that that impacts nature, then we’re also getting impacted.”

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s annual meeting, celebrating its 30-year anniversary is planned for Sunday, June 8 and the public is invited to attend.

The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. and include a keynote address by author Paula Whyman, an awards ceremony for volunteers of the year, a look back at the organization’s history, door prizes and refreshments.

Guests are asked to RSVP at loudounwildlife.org/event/annual-meeting. n

advised that Nett could participate in Town Council business even though he was a police officer.

“There is no ‘obvious conflict of interest’ in the Plaintiff’s participation as a Council Member, though he was previously employed by the Purcellville Police Department and may be in a grievance period after his termination,” according to the filing.

Nett was also placed on Anderson’s office’s Brady List reserved for officers whose testimony may be considered unreliable and must be disclosed to the defense in a criminal case, according to legal precedent set in a Supreme Court case.

Anderson placed Nett on the list Feb. 24 after finding that he had misused sick leave as a police officer to operate in his Town Council capacity. n

Assessment

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very essence of community policing,” he told the audience.

A redacted version of Jones’ report was released publicly Tuesday and included the caution that recent efforts to eliminate the agency could undermine efforts to keep those officers in the department.

“The threat of the disbanding of the police department weighs heavily on the officers and their decision to stay in Purcellville,” according to the report. “The uncertainty about the sustainability of the department and its leadership is troubling for the officers. Trust and support are critical to the success of the department and the safety of the officers and the town.”

A motion to prepare an ordinance eliminating the part of the town’s code that authorizes the department passed by a council majority vote April 8. However, community pushback resulted in the council voting to fund the department for another year April 22.

Jones was commissioned March 18 to conduct an independent assessment of the department amid retention concerns, according to Town Manager Kwasi Fraser. He announced to the council Feb. 25 that he would be hiring a consultant after several officers retired or resigned. Those, including then-Chief Barry Dufek, came shortly after Vice Mayor Ben Nett, who worked as a Purcellville Police officer at the time, took a seat on the Town Council and the council fired then-Town Manager Rick Bremseth.

However, after reviewing Jones’ assessment during a closed session meeting May 27, members of the Town Council raised questions publicly about how Jones was selected.

Answering council questions, Jones revealed that he met with Fraser and Nett before the town posted its bid seeking contractors to conduct the review. Jones said he had a Jan. 27 meeting with Fraser and Nett at a restaurant in town, where they told him they could spend $12,000 on an assessment.

The request for proposals to conduct an assessment was posted to the town website from Feb. 14-25 with at least 13 companies competing for the bid.

The Jan. 27 meeting also took place before announcements by three of the four officers who have left the department this year were made. Sgt. Paul Kakol’s retirement was announced Jan. 31, another officer resigned Feb. 18 and Lt. Scott Moskowitz retired in March.

Councilmember Kevin Wright questioned Fraser over whether all of the applicants knew that the town would only be spending $12,000 for the assessment.

Assistant Director of Finance Connie LeMarr said it was included as an addendum through the question-and-answer form attached to the bid posting.

A Loudoun Moment

“If they signed up for the alerts, which they should have when they joined the bid board, they would get that notification, that there’s something out there with a question and answer,” LeMarr said.

Fraser said he chose Jones’ company because he was the lowest qualified bidder. Wright asked how many of the applicants he met with personally.

Fraser said he only met with Jones.

“We had one in Florida I believe that was equal to Mr. Jones and it was a choice between Mr. Jones and that applicant,” Fraser said. “… The concern there was that we would have to pay for travel.”

“I find it concerning, that as the town manager, you specifically reached out to one applicant and had a … personal meeting with one applicant,” Wright said.

Fraser said the meeting happened before he made the decision to move forward with an RFP.

“That’s not abnormal. It’s because the interest was there in potentially moving forward on a bid,” Fraser said.

Councilmembers also questioned Fraser over bringing Nett to the meeting with Jones.

“Did you not think, since you’re hiring a third-party consultant to do an overall assessment, that bringing the vice mayor, who’s also the police officer who’s going to be interviewed on the overall assessment, might add an undue bias to the assessment in that situation?” Councilmember Erin Rayner said.

Fraser said he brought Nett because he

was uniquely experienced as councilmember and police officer.

“As I stated before, when I met with Mr. Jones, he was not an applicant for the bid. So, it was all gathering information,” Fraser said.

A Feb. 11 email from Nett, who was placed on administrative leave in February, to Jones outlined his vision for the Police Department, including the expectation that the vice mayor would be appointed police chief. The email was sent to Jones before Fraser’s decision hire Jones’ company. That contract was signed March 18, Jones said.

Nett’s six-page email laid out a restructuring of the department including reducing the force from 22 to 17, reducing command staff from four to three, eliminating the civilian accreditation manager/public information officer position, eliminating the deputy chief position, eliminating the operations lieutenant position, adding a detective position, reducing the officer corps from 10 to eight and reducing the sergeant corps from six to four.

“I do intend to emerge from the current turmoil affecting our department as the permanent Chief of Police,” Nett stated in the email, which also included a request to act as Jones’ “second in command” during the assessment process.

Nett was fired from the department April 4 and on April 8 a majority of the council voted to being the process of dismantling the Police Department. Community pushback led to the council funding

the department for at least another year, while Nett is now being investigated by the Virginia State Police at the request of the Attorney General’s Office.

Jones’ report also addressed the existing staffing shortages in the department noting that there are authorized for 20 positions and four of those, two sergeants and two officers, are frozen.

“Of remaining 16, the department is down 3 officer positions and 1 command staff position. These vacancies should be addressed as soon as possible to ensure more available police officers on patrol,” according to the report.

Jones said the department is not able to provide coverage overnight, leaving the Sheriff’s Office to answer calls for service.

“With the low level of calls for service, this is an acceptable and efficient way to ensure that police services are available, even if the call response is longer. However, the town should monitor calls for service overnight and consider future planning for a minimum of two officers on an overnight shift,” according to the report.

Salaries for officers are “significantly lower” than surrounding departments, the report noted.

Jones said the police headquarters' leased space that underwent renovations in 2023, is lacking in several categories. Most of those were redacted from the assessment released to the public. Plans to build a new police station repeatedly have been delayed. n

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

A newborn white-tailed fawn stays close to its mother near the village of Bluemont.

Photo by Douglas Graham Police