Leesburg gardens on display

In 1817, Gen. George Rust bought a 485-acre tract along the Potomac River north of Leesburg and began building a Federal-style home there. The rock outcrops that studded the land inspired the property’s name: Rockland.

Two centuries and five generations later, Rust’s descendants still own and occupy Rockland. But maintaining old homes is costly, and the current occupants are searching for new ways to generate revenue from the property so they can continue to keep it in the family.

Rockland is one of six picturesque Leesburg-area properties that will be open to visitors Sunday and Monday during Virginia’s Historic Garden Week. The Garden Club of Virginia uses proceeds from the event, now in its 84th year, to restore and preserve historic public gardens across the commonwealth.

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The Washington Post, April 23, 2017

Kids learn about Shakespeare on Saturdays

Loudoun Country Day School students rehearse a scene from Shakespeare’s “Much Ado about Nothing” in the school library.

In between the usual Saturday activities — soccer, ballet, taekwondo — a group of 9- and 10-year-olds from Loudoun Country Day School are learning to “crack the code” of William Shakespeare.

About a dozen fourth- and fifth-graders attend voluntary Saturday morning classes at the Leesburg-area private school to learn how to understand and perform Shakespeare’s works. The school’s headmaster, Randy Hollister, leads the classes.

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The Washington Post, April 16, 2017

Loudoun Supervisors adopt budget

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $2.5 billion budget for the county government and school system for fiscal 2018.

The spending plan provides funding to open several new facilities, give pay increases of 3 percent or more to county and school employees, and add hundreds of government and school staff positions. By lowering the real property tax rate 2 cents, to $1.125, the supervisors also reduced tax bills for most Loudoun homeowners.

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The Washington Post, April 9, 2017

Car Seat Headrest in the news – April 2017

“Last night, ‘Conan’ welcomed musical guests Car Seat Headrest.”

–Evan Minsker on Pitchfork, April 19, 2017

“In between Coachella weekends, Car Seat Headrest stopped by Conan on Tuesday night (4/18) to perform a somewhat revamped version of ‘Unforgiving Girl (She’s Not An)’ from last year’s terrific Teens of Style.”

–Bill Pearis on Brooklyn Vegan, April 19, 2017

“Our 2016 Rookie of the Year performed a new version of ‘Unforgiving Girl” (She’s Not An),’ taken from last year’s excellent Teens of Denial.”

–Michelle Geslani on Consequence of Sound, April 19, 2017

“I don’t know if Will Toledo is satisfied, but I’m certainly happy that songs like ‘Faith In Anyone’ finally made their way into the world.”

–Alex Galbraith on Uproxx, April 17, 2017

“But although Radiohead played to a surprisingly small audience…middlebrow guitar bands such as Bastille, Car Seat Headrest and Local Natives pulled fans in numbers that suggested rock isn’t dead yet…”

–Mikael Wood in the Los Angeles Times, April 16, 2017

“Listen to his lovely, acoustic cover of ‘That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore’…”

–Janice Headley on KEXP-FM, April 12, 2017

“For his passionate and heartbreaking version of ‘That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore,’ Toledo swaps out all the electric guitars and drums for a single acoustic guitar.”

–Robin Hilton on NPR Music, April 12, 2017

“Truly haunting.”

DIY Magazine, April 12, 2017

“…this acoustic version is pretty haunting and would definitely make Morrissey proud.”

Pure Volume, April 12, 2017

“Toledo’s version is an aching acoustic rendition in the vein of his ‘Pyramid Song’ cover…”

–Peter Helman on Stereogum, April 11, 2017

“Car Seat Headrest have shared an acoustic cover of the Smiths’ song ‘That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore.'”

–Noah Yoo on Pitchfork, April 11, 2017

“Car Seat Headrest have a certain touch which makes them a shining beacon in the ocean of Indie bands competing for attention today.”

–Clare Kelly in Counterfeit Magazine, April 5, 2017

Purcellville Library observes 60th anniversary of desegregation

In the early 1950s, Reggie Simms mended damaged books so they could remain in circulation at the Purcellville Library. But he was not allowed to check them out for personal use.

For two decades after it opened in 1937, the library was open only to white patrons. Simms and other African Americans were excluded until the library was desegregated on April 9, 1957.

On Saturday, the library will mark the 60th anniversary of that milestone with “Cross the Line,” a day-long program focusing on the desegregation of public facilities in Loudoun County. Simms will join other African Americans from that era in sharing memories of the cultural shifts in Loudoun as segregation died a slow death in the 1950s and ’60s.

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The Washington Post, April 2, 2017