Good morning, Leesburg.

Loudoun first responders handled a wild week after an emu escaped from its owner in Hamilton on Aug.

19, recovered a lost cockatiel at Algonkian Regional Park on Saturday, and escorted a bison back home Monday in western Loudoun — each call underscoring the unpredictable nature of their work.

ECHO (a nonprofit serving adults with lifelong disabilities) celebrated launching its new coffee roasting venture on Aug.

20 in Leesburg.

Last Monday, Supervisor Saines and Vantage representatives met with residents to address complaints of gas turbine noise from an 800,000 sqft data center on Glenn Drive near Sterling (residents said noise disrupts sleep and work).

The company invested $15M in noise mitigation but grid connection will only occur in 2040.

The Loudoun Youth Poet Laureate Program recently named Margaret Banks as its 2026 teaching artist (a role designed to foster creative writing among local youth).

Loudoun County Public Schools reported that test scores for the 2025-26 school year surpassed the previous four-year average in all subjects — a notable win — according to Virginia’s Standards of Learning tests.

Leesburg Council heard from Police Chief Thea Pirnat on Monday night about rising e-bike and e-scooter safety concerns as the department tracks a growing number of crashes, and she stressed that further safety education might be needed if current rules fall short for young riders.

The discussion focused on clarifying regulations for devices that reach motorcycle speeds.

Town officials held emergency training at the airport Tuesday and are holding another at Ida Lee Park today (Festival Field and Community Garden are closed until midday) with loud noises and fire response equipment in use; residents should avoid these areas.