Loudoun Now

12/27/2022

Hillsboro Fire Closes Rt. 9

Rt. 9 through Hillsboro is closed to traffic Tuesday morning as emergency crews battle a house fire.

12/23/2022

Loudoun County High School Students Assemble, Distribute Cancer Care Kits

Over 750 Smile Kits were assembled and donated to the Barnett-Searing National Cancer Foundation after community members and a local church helped with donations.

https://www.loudounnow.com/giving_back/loudoun-county-high-school-students-assemble-distribute-cancer-care-kits/article_84027d1a-82ed-11ed-a47b-9309457ca7d6.html

Students at Loudoun County High School created over 750 care packages for female cancer patients across the country, with the help of the community members and a local church.

12/16/2022

Family of Wounded Marine Moves in to Latest HeroHome

Jimmy and Pat Ochan, joined by their son William, started a new chapter in their lives Friday, preparing to move into their new Round Hill-area house—the latest built by Loudoun-based nonprofit HeroHomes.

Jimmy and Pat Ochan, joined by their seventh-grade son William, started a new chapter in their lives Friday, preparing to move into their new Round Hill-area house—the latest built by

12/16/2022

Ziegler Retaliation Indictments Related to Brooks Firing

Two misdemeanor charges against former Loudoun schools superintendent Scott Ziegler for retaliation relate to firing former special education teacher Erin Brooks, who complained a student repeatedly groped her.

Two of the three misdemeanor indictments brought against former Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler are related to the firing of a special education teacher who, after reporting she

12/15/2022

Loudoun Schools Announce 2-hour Delay

With the season’s first winter storm expected to roll through the region overnight, Loudoun County Public Schools has announced a two-hour delay for classes Thursday.

12/15/2022

Loudoun School Board Eyes Policy Updates Amid Calls for Resignations

The Loudoun School Board is considering policy changes after a special grand jury report on the administration's handling of two sexual assaults.

The School Board on Tuesday set in motion a series of policy changes in response to the eight recommendations made by the special grand jury that investigated the division’s handling

12/14/2022

Loudoun Prepares for Icy Thursday Morning

Loudoun is getting ready for an icy Thursday morning.

Loudoun County and the Virginia Department of Transportation are preparing for the first significant winter weather event of the season, with freezing rain in the forecast Thursday that could lead

12/12/2022

Grand Jury Indictments Against Ziegler, Loudon Schools Spokesman Unsealed

Four criminal indictments have been issued against two Loudoun County Public Schools officials.

Four indictments have been issued against two Loudoun County Public Schools officials.

12/10/2022

Young Musicians Showcase Spotlights Local Talent

Brad "The Guitar Guy" Horan's Young Musicians Showcase features some of Loudoun's rising stars—rocking the mic in middle school.

When 13-year-old Natalie Williams got a guitar for Christmas three years ago, it came with a requirement from mom and dad: three months of lessons. Those lessons sparked a passion.

12/09/2022

Leesburg Police Officers Provide Kids' Shopping Spree

There was a heavy law enforcement presence at the Leesburg Target store Thursday night ...

There was a heavy law enforcement presence at the Leesburg Target store Thursday night as members of the town Police Department took nearly 20 kids on a holiday shopping spree.

12/09/2022

Supreme Court Reverses Judge’s Disqualification of Loudoun Prosecutor

The state Supreme Court has overruled a local Circuit Court judge's decision to remove the Loudoun Commonwealth's Attorney from prosecuting a burglary suspect.

The Supreme Court of Virginia yesterday annulled a Loudoun Circuit Court judge’s order to remove the Loudoun Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office from the prosecution of a burglary suspect.

12/09/2022

Loudoun Supervisors Launch School Segregation Impact Study, Reconciliation Work

Loudoun—one of the last county in the country to integrate its schools—has made plans for a two-year study of the lasting impacts of school segregation and ideas for reconciliation.

County supervisors on Tuesday, Dec. 6 voted to launch a two-year project to study the impacts today of Loudoun’s long history of school segregation and consider options for reconciliation.

12/09/2022

‘I Think The Board Was Misled’: Morse Speaks Out After Loudoun Superintendent Firing

The Loudoun County School Board voted Thursday night to appoint Chief of Staff Dan Smith as interim superintendent during a 15-minute meeting with no public discussion.

12/08/2022

Smith Family: 'Clean House'

After Loudoun's school superintendent was fired Tuesday, the parents of a student who was sexually assaulted in a school bathroom spoke out: "Why didn’t this happen a year ago?”

The family of a student who was sexually assaulted in a school bathroom has spoken out after the firing of superintendent Scott Ziegler on Tuesday night.

12/08/2022

Former Board Member Says Earlier Efforts to Fire Superintendent Lacked Support

After a special grand jury report on the school administration's handling of repeated sexual assaults led the Loudoun School Board to immediately fire the superintendent, a former board member said there wasn't much in the report he didn't already know.

Former Broad Run District School Board member Andrew Hoyler spoke out on Facebook on Tuesday night following the firing of former superintendent Scott Ziegler, saying there wasn't much in a

12/08/2022

School Board Plans Emergency Meeting to Name Acting Superintendent

After firing former Superintendent Scott Ziegler effective immediately Tuesday night, the Loudoun County School Board will hold an emergency meeting tonight to discuss naming Chief of Staff Daniel Smith the acting superintendent.

The School Board will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday, Dec. 8, the school district announced Wednesday just before 5 p.m. The board plans to appoint Chief of Staff Daniel

12/07/2022

Loudoun School Board Fires Ziegler

The Loudoun School Board has fired Superintendent Scott Ziegler following the release Monday of a special grand jury report detailing his administration's handling of repeated sexual assaults by the same student.

Following a two-hour closed session to discuss the special grand jury's report on Loudoun County Public Schools administration's handling of two sexual assaults by the same student, the School Board

12/05/2022

Special Grand Jury Report: School Admins Looked Out for Own Good in Sexual Assault Case

Following a seven-month investigation, the report of a special grand jury empaneled to investigate Loudoun County Public Schools’ handling of two sexual assaults committed by the same student has been unsealed.

Following a seven-month investigation, the report of a special grand jury empaneled to investigate Loudoun County Public Schools’ handling of two sexual assaults committed by the same student has been

11/30/2022

Craig Family’s Leesburg Hobby Shop to Close

For two decades, Leesburg Hobbies and Collectables has been a destination for train enthusiasts, model builders, young rocketeers, and Boys and Girl Scouts.

For two decades, Leesburg Hobbies and Collectables has been a destination for train enthusiasts, model builders, young rocketeers, and Boys and Girl Scouts. The store will close next month, ending

11/25/2022

Photo Gallery: Ashburn Farm Thanksgiving Day Races

More than 2,000 runners got up early Thanksgiving morning to join in this Ashburn tradition.

For the 29th year, runners gathered near Crossroads United Methodist Church early Thanksgiving morning to participate in the Ashburn Farm 10K, 5K and fun run.

11/24/2022

Loudoun Food Nonprofits Help During an Extra Hungry Holiday Season

With cold weather and Thanksgiving here, more families are giving thanks for the nonprofits, volunteers and donors working to ensure they don’t spend the holiday going hungry.

11/15/2022

Silver Line to Loudoun Opens

About four years late, the train finally came to the station.

Passengers on Metrorail’s long-awaited Silver Line to Ashburn rode the rails for the first time this afternoon.

11/02/2022

Foggy Mountain Brings Local Flavors to Pasta

"The long and the short of it is, we forgot a long time ago that there’s more than just all-purpose flour," Foggy Mountain Pasta founder Gabriel Key said of his local terroir-driven pastas.

A business in Chantilly is taking one of Italy’s most famous exports, pasta, and making it the region’s own.

11/02/2022

Future Canine Companions Service Dogs Land in Style at Leesburg Airport

Five future service dogs with Canine Companions got the private jet treatment on their trip from California to Leesburg Executive Airport.

Five eight-week-old puppies bound for jobs as service dogs arrived in Leesburg in style Tuesday afternoon, stepping off a private jet after their cross-country journey.

10/31/2022

Inova Loudoun Hosts Reverse Trick-or-Treat for Pediatric Patients

Some kids who are missing out on the trick-or-treating and parades while they're at Inova Loudoun hospital got a special treat after all Monday.

Some of the kids who are missing out on the trick-or-treating and parades got a treat all the same from Inova Loudoun staff members this Halloween.

10/31/2022

Metro Announces Silver Line to Loudoun Opens Nov. 15

Metro announced the news with the famous line from Lizzo's song "It's About Damn Time."

Loudouners will finally be able to hop a Metrorail train on Tuesday, Nov. 15, after four years of delays, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced Monday.

10/26/2022

Loudoun Health, Hospital Leaders See Respiratory Illness Surge

Emergency rooms are at capacity with pediatric patients thanks to an unusually busy—and early—season for RSV, colds and the flu.

Public health and hospital leaders are reporting that an expected larger-than-normal cold weather surge of respiratory illnesses has arrived, filling emergency rooms to capacity.

10/21/2022

Downtown Leesburg Car Show Planned Saturday

Downtown Leesburg will be packed with classic cars this weekend.

The Academies of Loudoun will present the 34th annual Leesburg Car Show on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. in downtown Leesburg.

10/20/2022

Wexton, Cao Meet in Final Debate

Rep. Jennifer Wexton and challenger Hung Cao debated renewable energy, federal infrastructure spending and whether the U.S. should be helping Ukraine.

Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) and her Republican challenger Hung Cao met for their final scheduled debate before the November election in front of the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce Thursday, Oct.

10/20/2022

Leesburg Police Chief Brown Announces Retirement

After 26 years of law enforcement, Leesburg Police Chief Greg Brown will retire and take a job as Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy.

Leesburg Chief of Police Gregory C. Brown has announced that he will officially retire on Dec. 1 after 26 years of law enforcement service in Loudoun.

10/19/2022

Biberaj Seeks Dialogue with Sheriff After Loudoun Murder Suspect Release

"I believe it was inadvertent, but what it does is expose that there are some processes we need to revisit," Commonwealth's Attorney Buta Biberaj said. "And the best way to do that is, we revisit them together.”

Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj at a press conference Wednesday, Oct. 19 said she invites Sheriff Mike Chapman to sit down and discuss what went wrong and what can be improved

10/19/2022

Student Growth, SOL Participation Approaching Pre-pandemic Levels

The percentages of Loudoun students taking SOLs last school year approached pre-pandemic levels, and Measures of Academic Progress growth assessments are climbing back up.

Standards of Learning scores, graduation rates and Measures of Academic Progress show Loudoun students’ scores from last school year are still below pre-pandemic achievement but improving.

10/19/2022

Grand Jury Restores Round Hill Murder Charge; Supervisors Join Criticism of Biberaj

After the Loudoun jail released a murder suspect despite pending charges and an order from a judge, county supervisors joined the sheriff in blaming the Commonwealth's Attorney for the mistake.

The case of a murder suspect released from the county jail despite pending charges against him has continued to generate finger-pointing among Loudoun elected officials, now with county supervisors joining

10/18/2022

Not Your Kid’s Spelling Bee Raises $35K For Literacy Programs

“By learning English, I am not only able to communicate with my family, especially my granddaughter, but I also get to spread my love of art,” said Loudoun Literacy Council student Fatma Goundogdu.

The Loudoun Literacy Council’s annual Not Your Kid’s Spelling Bee at The National Conference Center on Friday raised more than $35,000 to support the nonprofit’s adult and family literacy programs.

10/18/2022

Water-Powered Aldie Mill Turns Once Again

Over the weekend, the waterwheel and 2,000-pound millstone at the 200-year old Aldie Mill were turning once again, grinding grain for Mt. Defiance Distillery's bourbon.

The 200-year-old Aldie Mill was turning once again Saturday, with its waterwheel-powered millstone grinding grain for Middleburg’s Mt. Defiance Distillery.

10/17/2022

Natoli Named Loudoun Winemaker of the Year

In the middle of harvest season, Melanie Natoli said she is feeling "the pretty complete physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that I think you only hit when you’re doing something that you love so much that you’re putting yourself into—I wouldn’t trade that for a second."

The Loudoun Wine Awards on Friday night put the spotlight on the industry’s best work while highlighting the special community collaboration that makes that work possible.

10/17/2022

Grand Jury Restores Murder Charge in Fatal Round Hill Stabbing

Loudoun County prosecutors Monday secured three felony indictments against Stone Lee Colburn in the July 2021 stabbing death of Natalie Crow at their Round Hill area home.