Purcellville Offers Curbside Christmas Tree Recycling

The Town’s curbside refuse and recycling contractor, American Disposal Services, will collect Christmas Trees (only) for recycling on the first two Wednesday collection days in January 2013 (January 2 and 9). Regular yard waste collection will end on Wednesday December 26, 2012. Do not place yard waste curbside after December 26th. Yard waste collection will start again on March 6, 2013. Christmas trees are recycled into free mulch which is available at the Loudoun County Landfill. However, trees collected with decorations, wire, tinsel, lights and tree bags will contaminate the mulch. Follow the guidelines below to recycle your tree.

Christmas Tree Recycling Guidelines

• Remove all decorations from trees – please check carefully for items hidden behind thicker branches or limbs
• Remove tinsel, fake snow, angel hair, etc.
• Remove all lighting from trees
• Remove all twine, metal or plastic ties and string
• Place trees at the curb on Tuesday night (the night before collection day)
• Please do not block sidewalks or streets with trees
• Do not place trees in plastic bags or “Christmas Tree Disposal Bags”
• Remove stands and bases from trees

Visit the Town’s website at www.purcellvilleva.gov under “Resident Information” for further information on Christmas Tree recycling and refuse, yard waste and recycling collection.

Financial Peace University Comes to Purcellville

More than one and a half million families have positively changed their financial future through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU). Updated in summer 2012, the now nine-week course provides families and individuals with practical tools to gain control of their finances and set themselves up for long-term financial success. The course meets once a week where a different lesson is taught by Dave on DVD followed by a small-group discussion. Lessons include budgeting, relationships and money, getting out of debt, saving for emergencies and investing. FPU will be held in Purcellville at:

Bethany United Methodist Church located at 100 West Main Street in Purcellville. The classes will begin Monday, January 7, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. Call Chris Durbin at 540-338-7648 for more information or to register. … Continue Reading

Leesburg Offers Christmas Tree Recycling to Town Residents

The Town of Leesburg’s solid waste collection contractor, CSI, will collect non-artificial Christmas trees from residential customers as part of their regular recycling collection on the following days:

Southeast and Southwest Quadrants
January 3 and January 10

Northeast and Northwest Quadrants
January 4 and January 11

Place Christmas trees at the curb before 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection and prepare trees for collection using the following guidelines:

• Remove all decorations from trees, including tinsel, angel hair and fake snow.
• Remove all lights.
• Remove all twine, string and metal or plastic ties.
• Remove stands and bases.
• Do not place in plastic or “Christmas Tree Disposal” bags.

Before January 3 and after January 11, Christmas trees with a trunk size of less than six inches in diameter will be collected as part of the Town’s regular brush collection. Follow the above guidelines and place trees at curb by Monday evening.

Leesburg Town Council Swearing-In Ceremony Set for January 3, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.

The Leesburg Town Council will hold a swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Kristen C. Umstattd and Council Members David S. Butler, Thomas S. Dunn, II, and Katie Sheldon Hammler on Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at the Ida Lee Park Recreation Center (60 Ida Lee Drive NW). A reception for the newly sworn-in members of the Town Council will immediately follow the ceremony.

Kristen C. Umstattd will be sworn in for her sixth two-year term as the Mayor of Leesburg. Mayor Umstattd was first elected to the Leesburg Town Council in 1992 and was re-elected to Council in 1996 and 2000. She was named Vice Mayor in 2000 and first elected Mayor in 2002. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mayor Umstattd has been a Leesburg resident since 1987. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a juris doctor degree from Yale Law School, and is a veteran of the U.S. Naval Reserve. Mayor Umstattd and her husband, Charles Moss, have a joint law practice in the Town of Leesburg. Their daughter, Kendrick, is a sophomore at Loudoun County High School. … Continue Reading

Tim Kaine Speaks on Connecticut School Tragedy

Tim Kaine released the following statement regarding today’s tragic school shooting in Newtown, CT.

“Words fail to express the profound sadness I feel for the families of those who were lost and those who will carry the scars of this tragedy. Our Commonwealth knows too well the pain of senseless gun violence. Like all Virginians, Anne and I offer our thoughts, prayers, and heartfelt condolences to the community of Newtown.”

Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department Escorts Santa

The Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department will escort Santa around Round Hill on Saturday and Sunday, December 15 and 16 from 10:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. Santa will visit Stoneleigh, Falls Wood, Lake Point and the Villages South of Route 7 on Saturday. He will visit the Villages North of Route 7 and the Town of Round Hill on Sunday. The RHVFD will be collecting for Toys For Tots and non-perishable food to distribute to the local food banks. Everyone come see Santa!

LCSO Investigating Death of Inmate at Adult Detention Center

An inmate housed in the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center’s Medical Unit was found to be in cardiac arrest during a routine check of the unit Monday afternoon. Adult Detention Center personnel immediately administered CPR and the victim was transported to the Cornwall Campus of Inova Loudoun Hospital where he was pronounced dead by the emergency room doctor. The incident is currently under investigation by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.

Blue Ridge Hospice Seeks Volunteers for Thrift Shops

If the gift of giving back to the community is of appeal this holiday season, Blue Ridge Hospice presents a year-around opportunity that requires only the donation of time and the willingness to help others.

“Blue Ridge Hospice has six upscale thrift shops spread throughout our service area where our staff would welcome additional volunteer support,” said Anthony Crosen, Vice-President for Development and Community Services for this not-for-profit hospice organization that serves the City of Winchester and eight surrounding counties.

Crosen noted that Blue Ridge Hospice’s most active shop is located at 151 W. Main Street in downtown Purcellville. The organization also has shops in Winchester (Featherbed Lane and Route 7 east), Stephens City, Front Royal, and Berryville. Shops are open seven days a week and volunteers are needed to help sort donations and hang clothing in preparation for display and sale at flexible times that suit their own schedules. … Continue Reading

LCSO Seeks Potential Victims After Numerous Pieces of Jewelry Recovered

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is seeking potential victims after a large amount of jewelry was recovered from two suspects possibly involved in a series of burglaries in the Northern Virginia region.

Alicia E. Johnson and Ruby Y. Johnson, both of Prince William County were apprehended in Leesburg on November 19th on charges stemming from burglaries in Prince William County. They are currently being held at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center.

In their possession at the time of their arrest were numerous pieces of jewelry (see the items at http://sheriff.loudoun.gov/jewelry). Some of the pieces are believed to have been stolen during burglaries and/or larcenies from vehicles in our area. The thefts are believed to have occurred in the area of the Estates at Shenstone Farm and the surrounding area in Leesburg, The two were possibly driving a 1997 Silver Acura at the time of the thefts.

If you can identify any of the items below as belonging to you, call Detective C. Staub at 703-737-8757.

Three Other Assessor’s Office Issues

In addition to the job status of real property assessors, documentation included in the public hearing item regarding the transfer of the assessment function to the Commissioner of Revenue raised three further issues.

The existing county ordinance and state law mandate that the County Assessor meet certain education and skills criteria. The new ordinance removes the county’s professional certification requirement, while, according to a 2008 memorandum prepared by Commissioner of Revenue Bob Wertz, the state-mandated education and skill requirements do not apply to a Commissioner of Revenue serving as the County Assessor. … Continue Reading

An Elected Assessor?

BOS Poised To Give New Powers To The Commissioner of Revenue

By Mary M. Bathory Vidaver

Should political appointees have any job protections? The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (BOS) will vote on two such items at its December 5 business meeting: An amendment to the county’s ordinances replacing a non-elected, professionally certified real estate appraiser known as the county assessor with the elected commissioner of revenue and a revision of employment policies for board aides. Based on public comments and off-the-record conversations, the board appears poised to send the public a very contradictory answer to this question.

A story published by The Blue Ridge Leader last month pointed out that a proposal to shift the real property assessment function to the commissioner of revenue’s office would transform the assessors from county employees into at-will political appointees. Under a Memorandum of Understanding between Loudoun County and the commissioner of revenue, they would lose protection from county grievance policies. According to former and current employees of the county, such a change might leave assessors without protection from political pressure to reduce property assessments. This could subject them to similar pressures faced by board aides, the subject of an on-going investigation. … Continue Reading

Delgaudio Investigation Handed Off To Special Prosecutor

During a hastily called town hall meeting on November 20, Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York took personal responsibility for withholding the package of documents he had received from former Eugene Delgaudio staff aide Donna Mateer in March. Describing himself as “a rehabilitated carpenter” who had entered politics, York said that he “owed the citizens an apology” for failing to turn over the package to Arlington County Commonweath’s Attorney Theo Stamos, who is now heading an investigation into Mateer’s allegations of improper fundraising for Delgaudio’s political campaigns. Still, York maintained that Stamos bears responsibility as well.

“My simple mind simply thought that somebody making probably … over a hundred thousand dollar salary would have gotten the complaint and picked up the phone and called Donna … But that simply, clearly didn’t happen,” York told the crowd of about sixty people who had assembled to ask him questions about the topic of their choice. The majority of speakers expressed concern about York’s leadership in his handling of the Delgaudio affair. Allegations about the supervisor came to light in a Washington Post article published in late September. … Continue Reading

An Interview with Robert “Bobby” Zoldos II, Mayor of Lovettsville

Robert J “Bobby” Zoldos II began his first term as Mayor of Lovettsville this past spring; he served four terms on Town Council prior to his current position. His day job- Firefighter for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue- has placed him on international missions of mercy to earthquake and other disaster areas- as Task Force Leader on Virginia Task Force One (commonly known as the Urban Search and Rescue Squad). Robert Zoldos has had a couple of very good mentors in public service: his father- Robert Zoldos Sr- has served as Leesburg Town Councilman (and Firefighter), and previous Lovettsville Mayor Elaine Walker- who served 20 years as Mayor and 10 years on Council.

Tim Jon: Your predecessor- Elaine Walker- led the Town for many years and certainly left her stamp on local government; what’s your vision for Lovettsville’s future- and how much of a shift in direction do you see?
Robert Zoldos II: Our vision for Lovettsville is a small-town environment while providing for more of the needs of the town. We feel those needs take place in four categories: Transportation, Economic Development, Education, and Participation in Government. We don’t believe that you will see a shift in direction as much as an increase in speed and engagement in new methods. … Continue Reading

Blue Ridge Middle School Solar Installation Ceremony

The Blue Ridge Middle School in Purcellville celebrated the installation of the six solar light poles that adorn the lower parking lot with a brief ceremony and plaque presentation. The Solar Poles represent substantial work and focus from past principal, Roberta Griffith, past PTOs, Dr. Hatrick and Loudoun County Public Schools, Purcellville’s Mayor and town council, as well as the entire Blue Ridge Community. The installation of the poles culminates years of fundraising to bring not only light to the lower parking lot, but further the school system’s mission of conservation and smart campus energy use. … Continue Reading