JUNE 2021 Blueridgeleader SINCE 1984
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STANDARD PRESORT RESIDENTIAL U.S. POSTAGE CUSTOMER PAID ECRWSS PERMIT NO. 82 WOODSTOCK, VA JUNE 2021 www.blueridgeleader.com blueridgeleader SINCE 1984 Town launches income-producing trees project Green grows the Aberdeen property of Purcellville Purcellville Mayor Kwasi A. Fraser BY LAURA LONGLEY ville—at 16385 Short Hill Road. Those revenues will come in part Who said money doesn’t grow on Over the next ten years, the trees from a contract for the property’s trees? planted on 95 of those acres will grow management by the country’s larg- Input sought It soon will in Purcellville. And into a forest designed to increase the est horticultural services company. In we’re not talking pocket change. biodiversity of the area and invite back addition, the Town will derive income on lower In May, the Town wrapped up three song birds and wildlife. The trees also from monetized “credits” from stream, weeks of planting 110,000 trees on will grow the Town’s bank account, wetland, and carbon sequestration, height for what’s known as the Aberdeen proper- yielding more than $700,000 in net which is the process by which carbon ty—190 acres that belongs to Purcell- revenue with little administrative cost. CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 » Purcellville’s Downtown across the country. The Purcellville Town Council is Officials announce largest These drug trafficking organizations offering another opportunity for the would then transfer profits and traf- community to weigh in on the pro- drug bust in Loudoun history ficked firearms back to the Sinaloa Car- posal to lower the height limit in the tel. Investigations into the takedown of Town’s Historic Downtown District At a May 26 press conference at the and cash connected to the Sinaloa Cartel the transportation network and supply from 45 feet and three stories, to 35 U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alexandria, law in Mexico. cell led to the dismantling of other drug feet and 2 ½ stories (with the half enforcement officials announced the Since May 2017, investigations under trafficking organizations in California, story being attic space). Citizens can completion of the largest drug bust in Operation Angels Envy led to the take- Missouri, Ohio, New England, and New email the Town Council at Purcellvil- Loudoun County history. The operation down of seven violent drug trafficking York. These organizations distributed [email protected], or attend stemmed from an investigation that be- organizations operating in the Washing- hundreds of kilograms of deadly drugs, the meeting on Tuesday June 8, at 7 gan in Loudoun in 2017. ton D.C. metropolitan area, their Sinaloa like fentanyl and methamphetamine, p.m. at the Purcellville Town Hall lo- In February 2020, Loudoun County Cartel supply cell, as well as their Los throughout the Washington D.C. metro- cated at 221 S. Nursery Avenue. Sheriff’s Office detectives assigned to Angeles-based transportation network, politan area, monthly. In keeping with the new Compre- the Drug Enforcement Agency High In- which used tractor trailers and shipping Operation Angels Envy culminated hensive Plan to preserve Purcell- tensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force crates to move tons of methamphet- in one of the largest takedowns in the ville’s small-town feel, the Planning seized $6.5 million worth of drugs, guns, amine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 » CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 » CALL JOHN. NOW SERVING C O N T R A C T P E N D I N G YOU IN VA & WV WV Broker | Josh Beall JOHN CONSTANT 7 0 3 . 5 8 5 . 6 2 7 8 | J O H N @ A T O K A P R O P E R T I E S . C O M GET MORE. A S S O C I A T E B R O K E R 2 BLUE RIDGE LEADER & LOUDOUN TODAY | www.BlueRidgeLeader.com JUNE 2021 2021 Significant Sales 17050 Silver Charm Place LEESBURG, VA | SOLD $2,200,000 19631 Greenham Drive LEESBURG, VA | SOLD $1,962,500 17265 Count Turf Place LEESBURG, VA | SOLD $1,899,999 40471 Grenata Preserve Place LEESBURG, VA | SOLD $1,825,000 2020 #1 DAAR TOP PRODUCER Sotheby’s International Realty agents represent a tradition of innovation in the luxury real estate industry and dedication to customer satisfaction; Lisa Thompson is no exception. An accomplished award-winning luxury agent with more than $120 million in sales, Lisa is a dynamic driven personality. She takes pride in providing the absolute best in specialized services and exemplifies exceptional attention to detail in navigating the complexities of real estate transactions. With Lisa's expertise and commitment to great communication, clients enjoy the latest in marketing strategies, staging techniques, and successful contract negotiations. Highly motivated, Lisa is dedicated to building trusted relationships and tirelessly building personalized services for each client. In this, she successfully guides buyers and sellers through each step of their individual real estate experience. Lisa Thompson Realtor® 22 W. Market St Leesburg, VA 20176 c 571.207.6580 o 703.443.1757 [email protected] lisathompsonproperties.com DULLES AREA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS © 2021 Sotheby’s© 2021 S oInternationaltheby’s Inte rRealty.nation aAlll R eRightsalty. A lReserved.l Rights Re Theserv Sotheby’sed. The So Internationaltheby’s Inter nRealtyation atrademarkl Realty tr aisd elicensedmark is landicen suseded a nwithd us permission.ed with perm Eachissio nSotheby’s. Each So tInternationalheby’s Inter nRealtyationa officel Realty iso ffiindependentlyce is indepen deownedntly o wandne doperated, and ope raexceptted, e xthosecept operated by Sotheby’sth Internationalose operate dRealty, by So Inc.the bThey’s ISotheby’snternatio nInternationalal Realty, In cRealty. The S networkotheby’ sfully Int esupportsrnationa thel Re principlesalty netwo ofrk the ful lFairy su Housingpports t hActe p randinc itheple sEqual of th eOpportunity Fair Housin Act.g Ac Allt a offeringsnd the Eq uareal Osubjectpport uton iterrors,y Act. Aomissions,ll offering schanges are sub includingject to er ropricers, o mor iswithdrawalsions, without notice. JUNE 2021 BLUE RIDGE LEADER & LOUDOUN TODAY | www.BlueRidgeLeader.com 3 And how does your garden grow…? How do you want it to grow? Or don’t you know? Harcrow, Evelyn Mccann, and Simon Teague. Hundreds of students from One gold key: top 5-7 percent in each category: Ben- jamin Demase BRMS win Writing Awards The gold key winner, Benjamin Demase, will advance Blue Ridge Middle School eighth graders win Pres- to the national level for judging. tigious Scholastic Achievement Awards and Creative In addition, all BRMS eighth graders wrote a poem to Communications recognition to earn BRMS a Writing submit to the Creative Communications Annual Poetry Achievement Award. Contest. The top received entries are selected for pub- First, Blue Ridge Middle School eighth grade stu- lication in an anthology. 199 BRMS students had their dents submitted their writing to the Scholastic Writing work chosen for publication. That›s 63 percent of the Awards Competition to compete against over 1,800 BRMS eighth grade. other students in the DC Metro Area. Creative Communications (https://www.poeticpow- The Scholastic Writing Awards (https://www.scho- Scholastic Golden Key Winner L to R: English teacher, Eric er.com) is an organization “devoted to the promotion lastic.com) is a prestigious program recognizing the Kursman and eighth grader, Benjamin Demase. of writing, teaching, and appreciation of student writ- work of seventh through twelfth graders in the Unit- ing.” ed States. They have been in existence since 1923 and Because of the number and quality of the entries ence-fiction/ fantasy, critical essay, and humor. have been an initial proving ground for famous Amer- accepted for publication, Creative Communications Eleven Blue Ridge Middle School Students placed ican writers such as Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, and selected Blue Ridge for a Writing Achievement Award, within the DC Metro/ Regional Competition: Joyce Carol Oates. Scholastic presents three awards for given to the top 10 percent of schools who entered the Four Honorable mentions: top 15 percent in each regional level competition: the honorable mention, the contest. category: Spencer Dyson, Kyle Galletta, Ava Olechna, silver key, and the gold key. Principal Brion Bell said, “The preparation and work and Maxwell Riley. The students drafted, conferred, revised, and sub- the teachers and students commit to this process prior Six silver keys: top 7-10 percent in each category: mitted pieces from multiple genres such as poetry, to submissions is so impressive. Edit/improve – Repeat, Magdalena “Maggie” Alicea, Sasha Danjczek, Chance memoir/ personal essays, short story, flash fiction, sci- CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 » The Tempest at Stone Over 400 Plant-A-Thon Bridge High School volunteers sow 16,000 seedlings BY JOSIE BINKLEY OF INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL – A CAPPIES REVIEW at JK Community Farm Tradition blends JK Community Farm kicked off the with the Wild West in growing season at its annual Plant- “The Tempest” at Stone A-Thon with 410 volunteers, includ- Bridge High School for a ing teams from area companies, civ- fast-paced night of fun. ic groups, and individuals of all ages With breathtaking cos- planting 16,000 seedlings to help end tumes, energetic act- hunger. The May 22-23 event—“Help ing, and an awe-worthy Something Wonderful Take Root”— set, this show is one you will ultimately yield more than 53,000 wouldn’t want to miss. Left to Right: Andrew Burton and Diana Altenhof healthy, organic meals for families in The Tempest is one of tivating from start to finish. Emma need. Shakespeare’s best-known works. This Hunger Relief, Food for Others, and Ar- Noble (Caliban) and Ava Bueno (Mi- The event also raised close to $50,000 comedy, about a major act of betray- lington Food Assistance Center.