Loudoun Times-Mirror

05/04/2021

Academies of Loudoun's Spring Plant Sale to run Tuesday to Friday

Items for sale include annuals, perennials, vegetable plants, herbs, hanging baskets, shrubs, aquatic plants, mulch and potting soil will be available for sale in the school's greenhouse.

https://www.loudountimes.com/news/academies-of-loudouns-spring-plant-sale-to-run-tuesday-to-friday/article_62a9d186-ac2a-11eb-8c9b-7bd3a3d9bb15.html

The Academies of Loudoun will host its annual Spring Plant Sale at its Leesburg campus from Tuesday to Friday, according to Loudoun County Public Schools.

05/03/2021

Leesburg teen’s 'Project Pollinate' seeks to educate on environmental issues

The rapidly shrinking number of pollinators such as bees and butterflies is an issue of particular importance to Leesburg's Lexi Howard, inspiring her to create an environmental education and restoration initiative called Project Pollinate.

The rapidly shrinking number of pollinators such as bees and butterflies is an issue of particular importance to Leesburg's Lexi Howard, inspiring her to create an environmental education and restoration

05/01/2021

Dozens march in Sterling to demand more affordable housing

Supporters and members of New Virginia Majority, an advocacy group focusing on racial and economic justice issues, described the dearth of affordable housing as an “urgent matter”— one that Black and Hispanic communities are most burdened by the high cost of housing.

About two dozen Loudoun residents marched from Sterling Plaza to Sterling Middle School Saturday afternoon to draw attention to the high cost of housing and to pressure elected officials to

05/01/2021

60 residents displaced by two fires in eastern Loudoun

Sixty residents were displaced by a pair of separate residential fires in eastern Loudoun County this week — one at a single-family Aldie home on Tuesday and the other at a Sterling apartment building on Friday, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Public Information Officer Laura Rinehart.

Sixty residents were displaced by a pair of separate residential fires in eastern Loudoun County this week — one at a single-family Aldie home on Tuesday and the other at

04/30/2021

Ashburn teen creates read-a-thon to raise money for brain tumor research

To combine her love for stories with her goal of supporting pediatric brain tumor research, Zoe FitzGerald created Books 4 Brains, a read-a-thon fundraiser event that will run from May 1-14.

After she was diagnosed at 3 years old with an optic glioma — a brain tumor that caused her to go blind in her right eye — Ashburn's Zoe FitzGerald

04/30/2021

Self-scheduling for COVID-19 vaccine now available online

Loudoun residents 16 and over can now directly schedule appointments online to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the Dulles Town Center in Sterling, according to a Thursday press release by the Loudoun County Health Department.

Loudoun residents 16 and over can now directly schedule appointments online to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the Dulles Town Center in Sterling, according to a Thursday press release by

04/29/2021

U.S. Sens. Kaine, Warner introduce bipartisan bill to support childhood cancer research

The bill is named in honor of Gabriella Miller, a Leesburg resident who died from a rare form of brain cancer at the age of 10. Miller was an activist and worked to raise support for research of childhood diseases like cancer until her death in October of 2013.

United States Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced Thursday the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0, which would provide

04/28/2021

SCC grants Dulles Greenway rate increases for next two years

Off-peak drivers will see 25-cent increase, bringing the toll to $5 effective immediately, according to TRIP II. Tolls will increase by an additional 25 cents, to $5.25, effective Jan. 1, 2022.

Drivers using the 14-mile Dulles Greenway in Loudoun County will see at least a 5% increase in toll rates over the next 18 months for off-peak tolls, as outlined in

04/27/2021

Loudoun moves to begin enforcement of gun ban in County buildings, parks

Enforcement begins once signage has been posted, according to Mary Frances Forcier, deputy public affairs & communications officer for Loudoun County.

Forcier said signage explaining the new rule is being placed at the entrances to Loudoun County facilities over the coming days, with work being completed by Friday.

Loudoun County is taking steps to begin enforcing a recently amended ordinance, which generally prohibits guns in county buildings, including community and recreation centers, and county-operated parks, according to a

04/27/2021

Sterling man arrested for abducting six people, cutting one

Officials said that while deputies certified in crisis intervention training began conversing with the subject, additional deputies at the rear of the home used a neighbor’s ladder to remove the six other occupants.

A Sterling man was arrested early Monday morning for cutting a roommate with a knife and threatening five other occupants, including four children, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.

04/27/2021

Batter-up! The Ballpark, a new entertainment and training facility coming to Loudoun

The 22,000-square-foot sports facility will serve as a destination for baseball and softball lovers, offering training and social entertainment using high tech equipment.

This fall Loudoun County will become home to the flagship location of The Ballpark, a new, state of the art training and entertainment facility currently under construction in the Lexington

04/27/2021

www.loudountimes.com

Herring warned that imposing a vaccine requirement is “not without complications,” and that schools should be prepared to make accommodations for medical and religious reasons.

04/26/2021

Loudoun County Public Schools announces graduation dates, details

Each ceremony will occur rain or shine in the school's main outdoor stadium, except for the Douglass School's and the Academies of Loudoun's commencement ceremonies, which will be virtual.

High school graduation ceremonies in Loudoun County will be held between June 4 and 17 and take place mostly in person, according to Loudoun County Public Schools officials.

04/26/2021

Loudoun County to resume use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

The move follows the release a joint statement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicating the pause in the use of the J&J vaccine should be lifted.

The Loudoun County Health Department announced Monday it will resume using the single-dose Johnson and Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine following a nearly-two week pause in its use.

04/26/2021

Car passenger non-fatally shoots self, driver in Aldie

One of the males, a backseat passenger, was "manipulating a firearm" while traveling near the intersection of John Mosby Highway and James Monroe Highway around 9:40 p.m., officials said Monday.

Two males sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds while traveling by car in Aldie on Saturday night, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

04/26/2021

Willisville District to receive state historical highway marker

The marker in Willisville is one of four markers approved recently that depicts the lives of African Americans during Reconstruction and the era of Jim Crow segregation.

The Willisville Historic District in Loudoun County is one of 16 areas across the commonwealth set to receive a historical marker that recalls people, places or events from Virginia’s colonial

04/24/2021

Reid: Virginia’s Progress Report on the Green New Deal

"We should all take pride in the fact that in just two regular legislative sessions we have passed at least 50 bills tied directly to the goals of the Virginia Green New Deal and we’ve laid the foundation for a much more sustainable future for the Commonwealth," writes Del. Reid.

Unlike Congress, where Federal legislation can include a broad range of legislative topic areas, the Virginia Constitution mandates a 1-for-1 relationship between a piece of legislation and its topic. As

04/23/2021

Northam to again roll back COVID-related restrictions

Beginning Saturday, May 15, sports and entertainment venues in Virginia may begin to operate with expanded capacity, and social gathering limits will increase under changes Northam is making to an executive order. The state's mask mandate will not be lifted.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday that he would be further loosening coronavirus-related restrictions on businesses and social gatherings in mid-May. He also said that a

04/23/2021

Sawicky: Critical Race Theory is not what its critics suggest it is

Community View: "Contrary to some anguished reports, CRT is not about you, or about white people, so relax! Nobody is accusing you of anything. It’s about the waters in which we all swim. In these waters, racial disparities in income, wealth, employment, housing, and education have been well-documented," writes Max B. Sawicky.

“The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.”

04/22/2021

Loudoun, Montgomery to study options for reopening White’s Ferry

Officials will evaluate land ownership and acquisition scenarios for the Virginia landing, as well as short- and long-term possibilities for resuming the ferry service, officials said Wednesday.

Loudoun County will study what options exist for enabling the resumption of the White’s Ferry service between Montgomery County, Md. and Loudoun County within the next 30 days, according to

04/22/2021

Free COVID-19 testing events in Loudoun announced for May

The May events will be at various locations around the county and will not involve age or residency requirements, nor will visitors have to exhibit COVID-19 systems to be tested.

Loudoun County government will host free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing every Tuesday in May from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., officials said Thursday afternoon.

04/22/2021

Loudoun’s "Data Center Alley" featured in latest Law & Order episode

Loudoun’s "Data Center Alley" featured in latest Law & Order episode

NBC’s newest show, “Organized Crime” — part of the longstanding Law & Order series — gave a nod to Loudoun County’s so-called “Data Center Alley” last week.

04/21/2021

Academies of Loudoun teacher writes, records uplifting graduation song

"I thought about my students and friends' children and what they've had to endure for the last year," said Megan Fay, who teaches at Academies of Loudoun.

Megan Fay teaches many of the same students in her Academies of Loudoun radiology classes this year as she did last year, but this year she’s noticed a bit of

04/20/2021

Loudoun County Public Schools names Teacher and Principal of the Year

Jackson, who teaches math at Riverside High School in Leesburg, and Simon, who is principal of Forest Grove Elementary School in Sterling, were named Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year, respectively.

On Tuesday, Loudoun County Public Schools named Kimberly Jackson and Shontel Simon its 2021 Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year, respectively.

04/20/2021

Internet provider Waterford Telephone Company announces May 31 shutdown

The announcement follows reports of internet outages since last Tuesday.

Internet and telephone service provider The Waterford Telephone Company is shutting down on May 31 and will no longer offer internet service, according to a statement on the company's website.The

04/20/2021

Round Hill moves elections to odd-numbered years following G.A. action

Round Hill’s Town Council voted on the action earlier this month following the General Assembly’s passage of legislation mandating that city and town elections move from May to November, beginning with elections held after Jan. 1, 2022.

The Town of Round Hill will — beginning with this year — change when its elections are held, moving from even-numbered years to odd-numbered years, avoiding coinciding with future federal

04/20/2021

Household Hazardous Waste collection event scheduled for Saturday

Loudoun County will hold its next Household Hazardous Waste collection event Saturday at the Harmony Park & Ride in Hamilton.

Loudoun County will hold its next Household Hazardous Waste collection event Saturday at the Harmony Park and Ride in Hamilton.

04/20/2021

Northam eases restrictions on capacity for public school fine arts events

Indoor performances will now allow a maximum of 100 spectators or 30 percent of venue capacity, whichever is fewer, while outdoor events will allow a maximum of 500 guests or 30 percent capacity.

Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced at a Monday press conference that he will loosen coronavirus-related restrictions on public school performing arts events in Virginia, following an outcry from the fine

04/19/2021

Armed carjacking at Sterling shopping center under investigation

Two male victims reported that they were in the parking lot of the Town Center at Sterling at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when multiple suspects emerged from a dark-colored SUV, one of whom brandished a firearm.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is investigating an armed carjacking that reportedly occurred in early Sunday morning at a Sterling shopping center.

04/16/2021

Northam meets with students over pervasive harassment of Asian Americans

“They were just so forthcoming, and I think really gave us a lot to think about,” Northam said.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) met with 15 Loudoun high school students of Asian and Pacific Islander descent Thursday in a closed-door meeting to discuss the harassment they’ve received amid

04/16/2021

Sheriff's office to conduct DUI saturation patrols Friday

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office will conduct DUI saturation patrols Friday night as part of the agency's efforts "to crackdown on impaired driving in the county," according to officials.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office will conduct DUI saturation patrols Friday night as part of the agency's efforts "to crackdown on impaired driving in the county," according to officials.

04/15/2021

Round Hill under mandatory water conservation following system failure

Officials said water should not be used for washing cars, watering lawns, filling swimming pools and other activities until the order is lifted.

Round Hill residents are being instructed to restrict their water usage for at least the next three weeks following a system failure at one of the town's water treatment facilities

04/15/2021

As Leesburg negotiates donation of cemetery, Loudoun Freedom Center claims more work needed

The historic Sycolin Cemetery, which is home to the graves of dozens of Black Loudoun residents who died between 110 and 60 years ago, is the subject of a disagreement between the Leesburg Town Council and the Loudoun Freedom Center.

Resting on a steep hillside above natural springs, the historic Sycolin Cemetery houses the grave sites of about 65 Black Loudoun residents who died between 110 and 60 years ago.

04/15/2021

Teacher accuses parent group of 'racism' after group criticizes LCPS equity efforts

A long simmering controversy again bubbled up during an @LCPSOfficial Equity Committee meeting, when a teacher took to the podium to denounce a local parent group's efforts to influence the school system's training and curriculum.

During the April 8 meeting of the Loudoun County School Board’s Equity Committee, a Loudoun County Public Schools teacher accused a local parents group of racism in response to that