Exit Plan: Leesburg’s Escape Room

The intrigue plays out several days a week in a studio apartment in downtown Leesburg, accessible only through a small parking lot and up a steep flight of stairs. It is a “safe house” for a spy — a Russian agent now cooperating with the U.S. government.

Across the hall, several wayward students are hatching a plot to escape detention from a classroom with furnishings straight from the 1980s.

The safe house and the classroom — in a suite of rooms above MacDowell Brew Kitchen — are not real. Nor are the scenes that unfold there. They are the “escape rooms” run by Exit Plan, a locally owned business that creates puzzle-filled adventure games for groups of people to solve.

Read more…

Washington Post, August 28, 2016

Q & A with Principal of Madison’s Trust

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David Stewart, Principal of Madison’s Trust

Madison’s Trust Elementary in Brambleton will become Loudoun’s newest school when students return to classes Aug. 29.

The school’s name refers to a notable incident during the War of 1812, when the British burned the White House, and important government documents were temporarily hidden in Loudoun County. The word “trust” refers to the faith President James Madison placed in Loudoun residents to keep the records safe, county public schools spokesman Wayde Byard said.

David Stewart is the school’s principal. Stewart, 43, comes to Madison’s Trust from Guilford Elementary School in Sterling, where he was principal for 10 years. Before that, he taught fourth and fifth grades in Spotsylvania and Loudoun counties, and he was assistant principal at Cedar Lane Elementary School in Ashburn.

Read interview…

New folk school opens in Waterford

A new school opening in Waterford asks people to step away from their screens for three days and focus on learning traditional crafts and skills.

The Waterford Heritage Crafts School will offer its first classes Friday through next Sunday, giving students a chance to receive a hands-on introduction to archaeology or to learn how to restore antique windows, make quilts or mix and apply lime mortar.

More…

Washington Post, Aug. 14, 2016

 

Q & A with Leesburg’s New Police Chief

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Capt. Gregory Brown at the Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station

Leesburg officials announced last month that Gregory Brown will become the town’s new chief of police, effective Oct. 3. He will replace Joseph R. Price, who retired as police chief in March after 16 years.

Read more…

Washington Post, August 7, 2016

Car Seat Headrest in the news – Aug. 2016

“…a 12-track shoegaze-tinged rock safari through typical early adulthood struggles, backdropped by a fertile jungle thick with thunderous, fuzzy guitars.”

–Beca Grimm re: Teens of Denial on Creative Loafing (Atlanta), August 31, 2016

“Toledo displays a rarely heard subtlety in a pristine sound setting that only brings to life these astute and well delivered songs.”

–Nick Triani in One Quart Magazine, August 29, 2016

“Just in the past couple of weeks, Car Seat Headrest — now a band rather than a one-man project — have been introduced onstage by Warren Buffett and made their late-night TV debut.”

–Tom Breihan on Stereogum, August 26, 2016

“Toledo may seem like another unassuming kid from Leesburg, Virginia, but there’s a bona fide rock star hiding behind those glasses, and he let the world see it during last night’s performance.”

–Collin Brennan on Consequence of Sound, August 26, 2016

“After fronting the project for six years, Toledo took over the Late Show With Stephen Colbert with a performance of the debbie-downer banger ‘Fill in the Blank,’ the opener from Teens of Denial.”

–Brian Josephs on Spin, August 26, 2016

“A dapper Will Toledo and his band made their network TV debut on last night’s Late Show, performing “Fill in the Blank,” the opener from their excellent record Teens of Denial.”

–Scott Russell on Paste, August 26, 2016

“Watch Car Seat Headrest perform ‘Fill in the Blank’ on ‘Colbert'”

–Noah Yoo on Pitchfork, August 26, 2016

“Car Seat Headrest perform ‘Fill in the Blank.'”

CBS.com, August 26, 2016

“Toledo has produced 13 albums of innovative, addictive tracks, some of which Rolling Stone described as ‘impressive’ and ‘yearning.'”

–Amy Atkins in Boise Weekly, August 24, 2016

“…phenomenally good new record…”

–Duncan Harrison re: “Teens of Denial” on Crack Magazine, August 24, 2016

“Leesburg-launched Car Seat Headrest and Sen. Kaine to appear on Colbert Thursday”

–Trevor Baratko in the Loudoun Times-Mirror, August 22, 2016

“Fresh off the success of their latest album Teens Of Denial, Car Seat Headrest have shared a new track from their work on the short film Loudini.”

Conversations About Her, August 21, 2016

“…one of the most overwhelmingly emotional, lyrically specific and physically powerful indie rock records ever made.”

–Marshall Gu re: “Teens of Denial” on Free City Sounds, August 20, 2016

“Like indie buzz bands Parquet Courts and Big Thief, Car Seat Headrest is tapping into guitar rock reminiscent of ’90s stalwarts such as Pavement and Guided by Voices.”

–Kevin Coffey on Omaha.com, August 20, 2016

“The music is unashamedly indie, funny, cynical and great.”

Every Record Tells a Story, August 19, 2016

“Will Toledo doesn’t seem to know how to phone things in.”

–Ben Kaye on Consequence of Sound, August 19, 2016

“Car Seat Headrest have contributed a new song called ‘Does It Feel Good (To Say Goodbye?)’ to a short film called Loudini that was made in conjunction with Ray-Ban.”

–James Rettig on Stereogum, August 19, 2016

“Car Seat Headrest’s awe-inspiring Teens of Denial is one of Paste’s foremost favorite albums of 2016 so far…”

–Scott Russell on Paste, August 19, 2016

“‘Teens of Denial’ is a raw, cathartic album full of complex, yet relatable themes. 10/10”

–Hannah Nowakowski on WSUM.org, August 18, 2016

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

–L. Kent Wolgamott in the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star, August 18, 2016

“Warren Buffet will introduce Car Seat Headrest at Omaha’s Maha Music Festival.”

–Michelle Geslani on Consequence of Sound, August 18, 2016

“Here is your song of the Summer 2016”

–Chris DeVille on Stereogum, August 17, 2016

“Warren Buffett to introduce Car Seat Headrest at Maha Music Fest”

–James Rettig on Stereogum, August 17, 2016

Teens of Denial comprised his first all-new material for Matador Records, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard US ‘Heatseekers’ chart and grabbing positive reviews across the board.”

–Andrew Stellman on Hear Nebraska, August 16, 2016

“Chuck Klosterman on How Rock Will Be Remembered in 2316”

Celebration Rock with Steven Hyden on audioboom.com, August 15, 2016

“… the best songwriter in contemporary music”

–Libby Webster re: Will Toledo in the Austin Chronicle, August 12, 2016

“How Car Seat Headrest Wrote His Fraught, Least-Favorite New Song, ‘Not What I Needed’”

–Dan Reilly on Vulture, August 11, 2016

“It’s a triumphant record that positions Car Seat Headrest as a musical force who are set to become a major part of the future soundscape of US rock.”

The MALESTROM re: “Teens of Denial,” August 10, 2016

“The clever and vulnerable songwriting of Toledo is brought to the forefront by his incredible vocal control…”

Holy Smokes, August 10, 2016

“The Car Seat Headrest album is destined for some year-end, top-ten action…”

–Jason Thomas on 93XRT, August 8, 2016

“This performance of ‘Fill In The Blank’ for The Current demonstrates that growth and nicely captures the band’s irrepressible drive.”

–Steven Spoerl on Heartbreaking Bravery, August 7, 2016

“Watch Car Seat Headrest perform at Pitchfork Music Festival 2016”

Pitchfork, August 4, 2016

“Car Seat Headrest are the latest indie rock act to earn the prestigious Smash Mouth cosign for their song ‘Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales.'”

–Peter Helman on Stereogum, August 1, 2016

Museum gets one more chance

The Loudoun Museum has been given one last chance to get its financial house in order.

The Board of Supervisors on July 21 approved an agreement with the museum that will provide $156,000 in funding to keep it operating through June, by a 7-1-1 vote. Ron A. Meyer (R-Broad Run) opposed the plan, and Tony R. Buffington Jr. (R-Blue Ridge) was absent.

The agreement spells out quarterly milestones the museum must meet to receive the funds, and requires each member of the museum’s board of trustees to contribute or raise at least $3,000 annually.

Read more…

Washington Post, July 31, 2016