Top News

Evergreen Mill Road widening project advances

December 9, 2023

By Audrey Carpenter The Evergreen Mills Road widening project is advancing, with the design phase expected to be completed and land acquisition to begin this winter. The widening will encompass approximately 1.3 miles of Evergreen Mill Road from the Heritage High School entrance, south of Battlefield Parkway, to South King Street/Route 15. The existing two-lane…

Residents mobilize and coalition formed to deter power lines and data centers in rural, park and historic areas

December 5, 2023

By Audrey Carpenter It was standing room only Nov. 30 at the Old Stone School in Hillsboro at the Transmission Line meeting hosted by the Piedmont Environmental Council. About 200 people crowded into the auditorium to look at the maps of where proposed transmission lines could be built to supply more electricity to the burgeoning…

New coalition forms to demand change to data center industry

November 29, 2023

By Audrey Carpenter A group composed of more than 20 environmental, conservation, historic preservation, and climate advocacy groups, as well as community representatives and neighborhoods across the state, have formed a coalition calling for industry-wide data center reform. The Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition will hold its first press conference Friday, Dec. 1 at 11…

Leesburg becomes hub for data centers

November 29, 2023

By Audrey Carpenter Digging has started at the Compass Creek retail center in Leesburg for what will become over the next two years two data centers located between the Ion International Training Center and the existing Microsoft campus. One 387,300-square-foot data center and a second building with 222,000 square feet for data center and office…

School board member resigns from job over Hatch Act violation

November 12, 2023

By Audrey Carpenter Only three days after being elected to the Loudoun County School Board, it was made public that Leesburg resident Anne Donohue (At-Large) resigned from her Department of Justice job after the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) found her to be in breach of the Hatch Act. She resigned Oct. 10 and…

“As a council member it’s my duty to prioritize the well-being of our citizens” –Vice Mayor Chris Bertaut

November 1, 2023

By Valerie Cury The Oct. 24 Purcellville Town Council meeting was full of back-and-forth discussion, but two issues stood out above the others. The first is the approval of an easement which would align Fields Farm Road to Mayfair Crown Drive but not join them together. Both roads would be separated by 120 to 140…

Planning Commission decides Philomont fire station options need another look

November 1, 2023

By Laura Longley The Oct. 24 Loudoun County Planning Commission public hearing on a new Philomont fire station started the same way previous public presentations have —with a slide show of the designs and need for a new, 18,800 sq. ft. station to be built on seven acres less than a half mile from the…

Youngkin dedicates Sweet Run State Park

October 10, 2023

42nd Virginia State Park offers hiking, equestrian trails with expansive views of the Blue Ridge Mountains Gov. Glenn Youngkin officially dedicated Sweet Run State Park in Loudoun County on Oct. 6. The 884-acre park, crossed by Sweet Run and Piney Run streams, features expansive views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. “Sweet Run State Park will…

Lot 74, Where are you?

October 4, 2023

By Valerie Cury During the Commissioner Disclosures portion of the Town of Purcellville’s Sept. 7 Commission Meeting, Planning Commissioner Ron Rise Sr. reported he had an information brief on the Rt. 7/690 Interchange with the town manager and Vice Mayor Chris Bertaut. In that brief, Rise Sr. presented information regarding Lot 74 at 601 N.…

Canby Road to remain unpaved after community feedback

September 6, 2023

By Tabitha Reeves Canby Road, home to rural neighborhoods and passionate Leesburg residents, was up for discussion on whether or not a 300-foot portion of the road should be paved, resulting in three community meetings, many email chains and a well-attended Board of Supervisors public hearing on July 12. After pushback against paving, Supervisor Caleb…