Op-Ed
By Susan Khalil Purcellville’s water and sewer systems face the same challenge confronting many established communities—aging infrastructure must be maintained and replaced while the town plans for future demand. But aging infrastructure is not the same thing as a system on the verge of failure. A comprehensive water study prepared by Jacobs Engineering identified improvements…
By Ken Falke America’s greatest problem isn’t just debt, politics, or division. It’s our mindset. We forget too quickly, demand too much too fast, and convince ourselves that real crises won’t touch us. These aren’t harmless cultural quirks. They are dangerous weaknesses. Weaknesses that threaten our economy, our democracy, and our national security. Short Memories…
By Charlie Houston Some issues spark countywide public outrage: Data centers and transmission lines are two of the rawest issues today. Other things trigger outrage among a smaller cohort of citizens. Two of these are the obscene proposal for a $200+ million Western Loudoun Recreation Center, and the plan for turning the George Washington University…
Dear Senator Perry, I was already on administrative leave when you advanced legislation requiring my suspension. That fact deserves a clear answer: what additional public protection did your bill provide by removing me from duties I was already on leave from performing? For my family and me, its most immediate consequence was to carry my…
By Frank McDonough
Alexis de Tocqueville noticed something different when he looked at American towns in the 1830s. The whole community could gather, argue, and vote. Those votes stuck. A handful of select-men were the council, but they couldn’t do much without the town’s approval. And they served only one year. The people, not a permanent council, kept the final say.
An Environmental Impact Study Could Have Prevented It—and Still Can By Phillip E. Thompson, Esq. For two decades, Loudoun County officials told us the data center boom was an accident of geography and timing—a happy convergence of fiber-optic cable and the internet’s insatiable appetite. The truth is simpler and far less flattering. It was a…
By Lloyd Harting Over the past 20 months the Town of Purcellville has served as the playing field for an acrimonious public conflict between Team Mayberry and Team Megabucks. In November of 2024, the residents of Purcellville elected Christopher Bertaut, Ben Nett, and Susan Khalil to the Town Council. All three identified themselves as “Team…
By Ken Falke Bullies have always mistaken intimidation for strength. Too often, the rest of us mistake it for leadership. History is filled with men and women who pound their chests, demand loyalty, silence critics, and rule through fear. They look tough. They aren’t. They lack the confidence to persuade, so they intimidate. They lack…
By Kwasi Fraser To the Citizens of Purcellville: For the past fourteen months, my family and I have endured a season we never imagined. Through it all, many citizens of Purcellville have stood beside us—with prayers, encouraging words, quiet acts of kindness, and an unwavering refusal to mistake an accusation for a conviction. To each…
By Charlie Houston There’s a lot going on in the county, most of it bad, so I’m taking a break from my usual topics. I’ll ramble a bit and start with automobiles. Convertibles If your hair is turning gray, don’t buy a convertible. People will note your hair and say, “Look at that old guy,…