Day of Thanks celebrates diversity

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Members of Loudoun’s Sikh community served a vegetarian dinner at the Day of Thanks.

About 250 Loudoun County residents from an array of local religious groups — Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Unitarian Universalist — came together Nov. 20 for an evening of food, fellowship, prayer and entertainment. Organized by Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES, the eighth annual Day of Thanks was held at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Ashburn.

“Thanks” was the theme, but the event was also a celebration of Loudoun’s cultural diversity. Many of the organizers and guests emphasized the importance of people from different faith groups coming together to gain understanding and build relationships.

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Washington Post, Nov. 27, 2016

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The Day of Thanks celebration ended with a candle-lighting ceremony.

More homes near Dulles Airport proposed

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority officials have raised alarms about a comprehensive plan amendment under consideration by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors that would allow new homes near runways at Washington Dulles International Airport.

At recent meetings of the board’s Transportation and Land Use Committee, airport officials expressed serious concerns about an option in the Silver Line comprehensive plan amendment — known as Alternative A — that would change the designation of two parcels currently zoned for nonresidential uses to “urban mixed use.” If approved, the change would allow retail businesses, offices and homes in those areas.

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Washington Post, Nov. 20, 2016

Residents share their hopes for Loudoun

About 150 Loudoun County residents gathered at the National Conference Center in Leesburg on Monday evening to share their hopes and priorities for future development of the county.

The participants discussed topics that included transportation and taxes in the first of four “listening and learning” sessions organized by the county government to kick off “Envision Loudoun,” an 18-month process of updating Loudoun’s comprehensive plan. Three similar sessions will take place in the county this week.

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Washington Post, Nov. 13, 2016

Sterling school holds mock election

Hundreds of voters showed up at Potowmack Elementary School on Oct. 28, stated their address, logged on to an election website and cast their vote for president of the United States.

Although their votes won’t decide who will be the next president — it being a mock election — students at the Sterling school got a taste of how America’s brand of democracy works.

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Washington Post, Nov. 6, 2016

Car Seat Headrest in the News – Nov. 2016

“…the best rock album of the year.”

–Frank DiGiacomo re: “Teens of Denial” in Billboard, Nov. 30, 2016

“A bona fide arena-ready rock headbanger…”

–Rob Sheffield re: “Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales” in Rolling Stone, Nov. 30, 2016

“This is an album that makes you really fucking glad to be alive.”

–Mack Hayden on Paste, Nov. 30, 2016

“Rolling Stone names Loudoun County alum’s album fourth best of 2016”

–Trevor Baratko in the Loudoun Times-Mirror, Nov. 28, 2016

“Like Nirvana building quiet and explosiveness into the same space, Car Seat Headrest knows how to be intimate and epic at the same time.”

–Joe Levy in Rolling Stone’s “50 Best Albums of 2016,” Nov. 28, 2016

“The genre is in need of a standard bearer these days, and Toledo is more than up for the task.”

–Collin Brennan on Consequence of Sound, Nov. 28, 2016

“‘Teens Of Denial’ was a heady reboot of college Americana and one titanic trip.”

–Larry Bartleet in NME, Nov. 27, 2016

“…a staggeringly good, alluringly dense record of smart, melodic guitar rock that withstands comparisons to the label’s golden age.”

–Sean Nelson re: “Teens of Denial” on The Stranger, Nov. 23, 2016

“Of the 10 greatest anthemic lyrics of 2016, I swear to that rocker in the sky, Will Toledo wrote 11 of them. It’s all so smart and whimsical and funny and, damn, it’s a voice — a great big thundering voice of modern wit and angst.”

–Wayne Moriarty on The Province, Nov. 22, 2016

“If you like Teens Of Denial, do not miss Car Seat Headrest on this tour because everything off that album that they play sounds like a million bucks.”

–James Cobo on Blurred Culture, Nov. 22, 2016

“He kept it honest, allowing the crowd to soak in what he conveyed through contemplative lyrics and meandering guitars, his feet standing still but his music constantly in motion.”

–Madeline Wells re: Will Toledo in The Daily Californian, Nov. 21, 2016

“In the live setting, the band’s tunes are full of tension and release, upbeat and tightly executed, accompanied by Toledo’s oft spoken word style of singing.”

–Kyle B. Smith on LA Music Blog, Nov. 21, 2016

“Listen to Car Seat Headrest’s ‘Simlish’ Version of ‘Not What I Needed'”

–Kevin Lozano on Pitchfork, Nov. 21, 2016

“Car Seat Headrest delivers joyous performance at WOW Hall”

–Craig Wright and Sararosa Davies in the Daily Emerald (Eugene, OR), Nov. 20, 2016

“The most played album in the Recordstore office, it rocks when it needs to, is touching at points, full of witty turns of phrases and choruses that jam into your brain for days.”

recordstore.co.uk re: “Teens of Denial its Album of 2016, Nov. 18, 2016

“He illustrated that he is a musician’s musician, respectful of and honest with his craft.”

–Daniel Kielman on The Bay Bridged, Nov. 17, 2016

“This year’s San Diego Music Thing headliner, Car Seat Headrest, is a classic example of DIY. ”

–Matthew Burke on NBC7 (San Diego), Nov. 12, 2016

“Although he sports boyish glasses and has the reputation of a bedroom auteur, Toledo plays an absolutely raucous and entertaining live show.”

–Will Reisman in The Bay Bridged, Nov. 11, 2016

“It’s a Horatio Alger tale for the millennial era.”

–Tom Lanham in the San Francisco Examiner, Nov. 10, 2016

“The breakout indie rock band of the year—actually of the last few years…”

–L. Kent Wolgamott on Bohemian.com, Nov. 9, 2016

“…his first full album for [Matador Records] — this year’s Teens Of Denial — touched a public nerve with its image-laden quest for identity set to anthemic rock’n’roll and couched in innovative arrangements, changing his life irrevocably in the process.”

–Steve Bell on the music (Australia), Nov. 7, 2016

“Toledo and crew hit all the right notes in raging against modern ennui…”

–Doug Freeman in The Austin Chronicle, Nov. 6, 2016

“Garage rock as mood elevator, let’s call it.”

–Eric Webb on Austin360, Nov. 6, 2016

“It’s a brainy offering that’s packed with more angst than a stack of ‘Harry Potter’ books, and it doesn’t skimp on the rollicking riffs.”

–Nathan Poppe re: “Teens of Denial” in The Oklahoman, Nov. 4, 2016

“Will Toledo’s bedroom confessional becomes a rock brigade – with empathy!”

–Neph Basedow in The Austin Chronicle, Nov. 4, 2016

“What do Mitski, Angel Olsen, Bon Iver, and Car Seat Headrest all have in common? Aside from the fact that they’ve all released very strong indie rock albums in 2016…”

–David Sackllah on Consequence of Sound, Nov. 2, 2016

“Car Seat Headrest is the Poster Child for Bandcamp Fame”

–Taylor Gilliam in Phoenix New Times, Nov. 2, 2016