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Community-Supported News. Free to all.
VOL. 10, NO. 30
JUNE 5, 2025
Nett Files to Set Aside Conflict Ruling BY HANNA PAMPALONI
hpampaloni@loudounnow.org
A filing by Purcellville Vice Mayor Ben Nett is looking to nullify an opinion issued by Commonwealth’s Attorney Bob Anderson that found Nett should not participate in any Town Council or staff discussion surrounding the town’s Police Department. Anderson’s opinion was provided April 21 in response to a request by NETT continues on page 42
Assessment Finds Underfunded Dept. BY HANNA PAMPALONI
hpampaloni@loudonnow.org
The consultant hired to conduct an evaluation of the Purcellville Police Department amid a bid by a majority of Town Council members to disband the agency told town residents last week they were “blessed with community policing officers.” Mike Jones made the comment during last week’s Town Council meeting after he presented his fivepage evaluation in a closed-session briefing. The town’s officers are “the POLICE ASSESSMENT continues on page 43
Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now
From left, Joe Coleman, Phil Daley and Tom Kercheval stand outside the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy office at Morven Park near Leesburg.
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Celebrates 30 Years of Getting Outdoors BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org
Thirty years ago, Joe Coleman decided it was time to do something about development in Loudoun that was wiping out wildlife landscapes with little concern for the impacts to the environment. Now, the conservancy he formed with three other concerned residents has grown to be an organization with more than 600 volunteers providing 15,500 hours of work last year.
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy has been a leader in the county since 1995 in efforts to protect the local wildlife habitat and help future development form in a way that is more compatible with the native species already living here. “It really grew out of a handful of us living in western Loudoun but often having to go into eastern Loudoun and just seeing how much the county was growing and how much was being lost so quickly in terms of loss of habitat,” Coleman said. The conservancy started by reaching
out to area residents and explaining what day-to-day actions could be taken on an individual and organizational scale to make a difference. “We quickly realized that one of the areas that was most important that we worked in was eastern Loudoun because it was the part that was being developed most quickly. Thirty years ago, there were still actually a fair amount of farms in WILDLIFE continues on page 42
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