n LOUDOUN
4 | n LEESBURG
10 | n EDUCATION
12 | n PUBLIC NOTICES
Community-Supported News. Free to all.
VOL. 10, NO. 15
26
FEBRUARY 20, 2025
‘Still Healing’
Community Honors Fallen Firefighter BY HANNA PAMPALONI
hpampaloni@loudounnow.org
Despite the cold and windy February weather, community members gathered Sunday along Silver Ridge Drive in Sterling at the site of a home explosion that killed one volunteer firefighter and injured 13 other people a year ago. Trevor Brown had been a volunteer at the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company since 2016. His crew responded to a call for a gas leak Feb. 16, 2024. They arrived to find propane leaking from a buried 500-gallon tank, and evacuated residents from the home moments before an unknown source ignited the gas, causing the explosion. Brown, a husband and father of three, died at the scene, while several other firefighters were trapped beneath home debris. Speakers at the memorial service included Loudoun County Combined Fire-Rescue Chief Keith Johnson, Sterling Volunteer Fire Company Chief David Short, County Chair Phyllis J. Randall and Sheriff ’s Office Lt. Col. Christopher Sawyer, each of whom focused on the overwhelming support from the community in the days, weeks and months following the explosion. TREVOR BROWN continues on page 43
Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now
County Administrator Tim Hemstreet presents his proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the Board of Supervisors Feb. 12.
‘Unprecedented’
Data Center Revenues Fuel FY26 Budget BY HANNA PAMPALONI
hpampaloni@loudounnow.org
Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet last week presented his proposed $4.7 billion fiscal year 2026 budget to the Board Supervisors, built around an 80.5 cent real property tax rate – a six-cent
reduction from the current rate and one cent below the equalized homeowner’s rate. The equalized tax rate, the rate at which the average homeowner’s tax bill would remain the same as last year, is 81.5 cents. Even with the increases in property assessments presented by Commission-
find home with Vicky Mashaw, Realtor® L i c e n s e d i n VA | 4 0 9 . 3 8 1 . 04 4 1 v i c k y. m a s h a w @ c o rc o r a n m c e . c o m | v i ckymash aw.co m 10 East Washington Street | Midd leburg, VA | 540.687.6321 | corcoranmce.com Equal housing opportunity | Each office is independent ly owned and operated
er of the Revenue Bob Wertz earlier this month, homeowners should see a reduction in their tax bills, with the average homeowner’s tax bill going from $6,337 last year to $6,280 this year. DATA CENTER REVENUES continues on page 42
ECRWSSEDDM Permit #1374 Merrifield VA
PAID
PRESRT STD U.S. Postage