LoCo News and Notes

Just thought I’d give you a smattering of what’s been newsworthy in LoCo lately:

Biggest news of all is of course the funding approval of the Metro rail extension into Loudoun County. The silver line will extend from the West Falls Church metro and head through Tyson’s Corner, stretching to Dulles Airport and ending in Ashburn, with the final stop completed by 2017.  It will be worth the wait and should certainly relieve traffic congestion; although living with the construction of the line between now and then will bring some challenges.

Johnson’s House of Beef in Leesburg was torn down on the 10th, making way for Chevy Chase Bank to build a new location and move a few hundred feet across the street from their current location.  I drove by and it was a bit surreal to see the backhoes, dust, and a big hole in the ground where the venerable restaurant used to be.  The sign was still standing.  The atmosphere and local flavor will be missed.

A group of homeowner’s associations and individuals brought a lawsuit against the Town of Leesburg, alleging the 100 percent surcharge the town was charging for utilities for homes outside the town limits was unreasonable.  On Friday, March 6th, a judge ruled that the surcharge was “unfair, unreasonable, and inequitable,” and ordered the town to legislate new rates within 90 days.

Purcellville is debating a proposal to allow a KFC-Taco Bell franchise to open on Hirst Road, as the Town Council held a public hearing last week.  Supporters outnumbered detractors by a three to one margin. The Council will vote on the proposal at its’ April 14th meeting.  This is a big deal for residents of the town (myself included) whose fast food options at this point are limited to McDonald’s, Quiznos, and Subway.

And finally, the Loudoun County Raider’s girls basketball team brought home the Division 4 state championship Saturday, defeating Turner Ashby 63 to 47.  Congrats, girls!!

Happy Monday!

Cheers,

Heather

Image Credit: Matt Callow