How do you feel about your bank?

We asked Reston Now readers which local financial institution they prefer, and these six names came up the most.

So show your bank and the the bankers some appreciation for good customer service by voting for them to earn a Best Reston Business Award.

This poll will be open until May 16.
 

Update, 10:40 a.m. Friday

A 17-year-old on a motorbike who was injured in a Thursday afternoon accident at Reston Parkway and Wiehle Avenue remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, Fairfax County Police said.

The boy was injured when he attempted to make a left hand turn on to Wiehle Avenue about 3:51 p.m.

Two SUVs — an Acura MDX and a Lexus GX470 — were headed southbound on Reston Parkway and had the right of way, said police public information officer Bud Walker.

The motorbike driver made the left turn and crossed into the path of the SUVs. He was struck by the Acura, which was in the left lane. The Acura then struck the Lexus.

Walker said neither speed nor alcohol was a factor in the accident. Neither vehicle driver was injured or charged. It is not known if the teen was wearing a helmet. Police did not release the teen’s name.

Witnesses said the teen’s bike was on fire and he flew about eight feet in the air after he hit the SUV. They also said bystanders administered CPR until rescue crews arrived.

Original story, 7 p.m. Thursday: Two of Reston’s major roads were closed for more than an hour during Thursday’s evening rush hour as Fairfax County Police investigated a crash involving the driver of a car and a man on a motorbike.

The accident occurred on Reston Parkway near Wiehle Avenue at 3:51 p.m., police said.

The man was injured and was taken to the hospital, police said. They did not release his name or the extent of his injuries.

The Children’s Science Center, a nonprofit that has been operating as a museum without walls for several years, has announced it will open two permanent Northern Virginia locations.

The group plans a 5,400-square-foot site at Fair Oaks Mall, in Fairfax, to be followed by a 53,000-square-foot children’s science center in the Kincora development in Loudoun County.

Both will be hands-on, interactive STEM-based facilities (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), the first of their kind in Northern Virginia, says Children’s Science Center Executive Director Nene Spivy.

“We are putting a stake in the ground…actually two!” she said in a statement. “After many years of searching for a suitable home, we have achieved our long-time goal to be located within the Dulles region, where families and high-tech industry partners are plentiful, and where we can offer a regional resource serving multiple jurisdictions in Northern Virginia and beyond.”

With an abundance of STEM jobs and companies in the area, Northern Virginia needs a Children’s Science museum, she added. Virginia is home to seven children’s museums, but none are located in Northern Virginia.

In 2013, the Children’s Science Center’s Museum Without Walls served nearly 15,000 visitors at over 60 venues, including  schools, libraries and museums.

The Fair Oaks location, called The Lab, is slated to open in 2015. It will include Exploration Stations, an Experiment Bar, a Tinkering Studio, and Budding Scientist areas for toddler/preschool visitors.

The full-scale museum in Loudoun is slated to open in 2019. Developer Kincora is donating space for the $40 million museum to be located in a mixed-use development at the intersection of Routes 28 and 7 near Dulles.

Museum officials estimate it will serve more than 300,000 visitors each year, delivering STEM exhibits, content, and experiences.

In April, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors authorized a $250,000 grant for the Children’s Science Center to support the construction and first operating years of the full-scale museum. The museum hopes to partner with local tech companies and governments in the future.

Fairfax County Supervisor Chair Sharon Bulova said she looks forward to the Fair Oaks location’s opening.

“It is a great, central location for the Northern Virginia community,” she said. “Fairfax County will remain a strong partner with the Children’s Science Center; our kids will be able to experience the scientific world in new and exciting ways and I welcome the Children’s Science Center to Northern Virginia.”

Graphics courtesy of Children’s Science Center

‘Jeopardy’ Journey Ends For Reston Man — Reston’s Mark Lowenthal, who has won more than $150,000 in four appearances since 1988 on TV’s Jeopardy, lost in the semifinals of the Battle of the Decades on Wednesday. [Restonian]

Dominion Donates — Dominion Resources, a philanthropic arm of Dominion Virginia Power, will donate $250,000 toward community programs at the Virginia Treatment Center for Children (VTCC), which provides in-patient acute care and outpatient mental health services for children and adolescents. Dominion’s funding will support “tele-medicine” programs in Southside Richmond and Southwest Virginia, where treatment access is limited. [Dominion Virginia Power]

Kudos To Local Gymnast — South Lakes High School freshman Olivia Norman earned first place in the vault at the USA Gymnastics Level 9 Eastern Championship in Bradenton, Fla. She was also third in the all-around with a score of 37.325 for the Sr. 2 division.

Reston Wins Bike Challenge — Reston topped Vienna with the most kids biking to school on Wednesday’s National Bike to School Day. Reston elementary schools counted 942 participants to Vienna’s 308.

Take FCPS’ Survey — Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is conducting a community-wide survey May 5-19 as part of its strategic planning process that was launched in February. The strategic planning process is designed to engage parents, students and school officials to develop a shared future vision for the school division. [FCPS]

Photo: Reston Association/Mark Majoros

Evan Matz, owner of Reston’s World of Beer, says the restaurant will open on June 2.

WOB had been planning a May 26 opening, but delays in the Fairfax County permitting process have pushed the date back, Metz said.

Crews are putting the finishing touches the space at 1888 Explorer St., on the ground floor of The Avant at Reston Town Center.

This will be the 56th location for World of Beer, a Florida-based national franchise. Matz also owns the WOB in Ballston, which opened in summer 2012. WOB has about 500 different beers that rotate through the menu, including 50 on tap, says Metz.

The restaurant will also have a full menu.

WOB will also have drink specials nightly and happy hour Monday through Friday, as well as live music Thursdays through Saturdays.

WOB is one of several ground-floor tenants in The Avant, Boston Properties’ new luxury residential building across from Reston Town Square Park. The Avant welcomed its first tenants in late 2013 and has units available for lease.

Other new tenants planned for the building are a CVS store, Barcelona Wine Bar and Bartaco Restaurant.

Matz said there will be a special Pre-Grand Opening Party for Facebook and Twitter fans and followers during the third week of May. For more information and the announcement of the event date, visit their Facebook page.

WOB Reston will be open for lunch and will have dedicated meeting space for business groups. Managers can reserve space equipped with IP-based video and wall monitor systems, said Matz.

Photo courtesy of World of Beer

It’s 5 p.m. somewhere.

That’s when people who live and work in Reston may head for their nearest bar/restaurant for a cold drink, a little snack and a lot of socializing.

We asked readers last week where they liked to go for Happy Hour. These are the six Reston spots that got the most votes.

So put down your martini and vote for your favorite and help them win a Best Reston Business Award. This poll will be open through May 15.
 

If you see something, say something.

That’s the message Fairfax County Police, Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, and officials from Cornerstones, Reston Association and Reston Community Center want to get across to residents who live near Hunters Woods Village Center.

Those organizations have been meeting with Hunters Woods businesses since last summer in an effort to make the neighborhood safer — or at least more appealing. On Wednesday, they met with citizens to hear their concerns and communicate plans to make the village center safer.

“What we found when we began addressing issues is it is a lot about perception,” said Katy DeFoe, crime prevention specialist for Fairfax County Police’s Reston District Station. “What we heard was a lot of things are happening, but there are not a lot of calls for service.

“We will come if you call us,” she told the citizens at a forum at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods on Wednesday. “Call the police non emergency number (703-691-2131). What should you report? Anything out of the ordinary. A group of people standing outside store? Call us. If someone approached you and asked for money, call us we will check it out. Think someone stole something? Call us.”

Fairfax County Police stats show that in the last 12 months, 36,114 major crimes have been reported countywide. In area 530, where Hunters Woods is located, there have been 129.

At Hunters Woods Village Center itself, 45 larcenies, four robberies, eight assaults and three drug violations were reported, DeFoe said. There are also dozens of “nuisance crimes” such as public intoxication, panhandling, and public urination, she said.

Police said they will be increasing their presence this spring with bike patrols and extra patrols on the Reston Association paths near the plaza. Safeway and Edens, the owner of the shopping center, will also maintain a “no trespassing” list of people who have caused trouble. RA is planning to install extra lighting on the paths by the end of the summer, says Larry Butler, Parks and Recreation Director.

“We know there is an issue, said Ken Bain, assistant commander of the Reston District Station.  “We were hammered here last summer. We won’t let that happen again this summer. We have a commitment to this area. We are not going to let it decline any further.”

Still, Hunters Woods residents — many of whom are elderly and live at the nearby Hunters Woods Fellowship House — are scared.

One Fellowship House resident said she witnessed a drug arrest on the plaza Wednesday morning.

“Four police cars were here,” she said. “The one person you did not get — the leader, the mule — was sitting in the lobby [of RCC] when we came in. They live in the trees over there. We have to get to Safeway somehow. When you have an entire building of senior citizens who do not have the strength to fight back, we are concerned how we are going to get around.”

DeFoe said the person committing the crime was charged and taken to jail. The others nearby were not committing a crime, she said.

“Truly, one person was causing a problem,” she said. “The other individuals were not doing anything of a similar nature. … Just because they were hanging out in the woods, they were not committing a crime.”

Another Fellowship House resident said she was concerned about the homeless allowed to camp out on the grounds of the Christ the Servant Lutheran Church on the plaza.

“Can they sleep inside?” the resident asked. “There would be less issues.”

DeFoe said the crimes are generally not committed by the homeless people. Carl said the three men who live in tents behind the church have lived on church property for more than a year without an issue. They were sleeping in the HVAC enclosure until about five weeks ago, when county fire officials said that was a hazard.

“Our goals for these three individuals is … to get them into homes,” Carl said. “If any are causing a threat to anyone we need to deal with that appropriately.”

There will be an additional community forum at 2 p.m. Saturday at Christ the Servant Church, 2320 Hunters Woods Plaza.

Bike Path Driver Gets Jail Sentence — Remember last summer, when a woman drove some distance on the W & OD bike path in Vienna and hit a cyclist? Mehak Chopra of McLean pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and hit-and-run charges this week. She avoided more serious felony charges and was sentenced to nearly six months in jail. [Washington Post]

Sweeter Strawberries Coming — Virginia’s cold winter this year will mean a sweeter strawberry crop. Strawberry season will run a little late — starting in late May — but will yield excellent results. [CBS Local]

Feel Groovy — The Reston Chorale will present “Feelin’ Groovy,” a concert with songs from Reston’s early years in the 1960s and ’70s. The shows are Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. [Reston Chorale]

Photo: Terraset ES students at Bike To School Day Wednesday/Credit: Terraset PTA.

The Reston Citizens Association (RCA) says it is changing its election process and structure in order to be more in line with other Reston-based organizations and position RCA for continuing its active role in Reston.

Starting in 2014, the president of RCA will be elected by its Board of Directors instead of being elected directly by Reston citizens during RCA’s annual elections held in each June of every year.

At its first meeting after every annual election, the RCA will now elect the President, who must be a Director who has served on the Board for at least a year. As in the past, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer will also be elected at this meeting.

This is the same process Reston Association uses to elect its officers.

While the President will continue to serve a one-year term at the pleasure of a new board, RCA has changed the terms served by its elected directors from the current two-years to three-year terms.

“The Board has been evaluating changes to its electoral process to best enable RCA’s mission of supporting and recommending smart growth solutions for Reston,” said RCA president Colin Mills. “After many months of consideration, the Board amended its bylaws to reflect these changes as of the 2014 elections.”

The RCA Board will continue to have 13 seats representing four Districts and At-Large positions as before, but those seats have been divided into three groups that will each come up for reelection as a class.

A call for candidates was announced by RCA, and more information about the election can be found on RCA’s website.

Meanwhile, Mills said he will not run for another term on the RCA board. Mills, who ran for an RA at-large director seat this spring, has served eight years on the RCA Board, including three as president.

Terry Maynard, RCA board member from the South Lakes district and well-regarded analyst on all things Reston, also plans to retire at the end of the current term to continue his leadership and activities at Reston2020, a RCA committee that he co-chairs.

Dick Rogers, RCA Board member from the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks/Reston Town Center District, is also retiring at the end of this term, but will continue to drive RCA’s transportation planning issues.  He serves on both RCA’s and Reston Association’s transportation committees.

Whom do you trust with your family’s health?

With a hospital right in the center of Reston, we have an abundance of doctors and other health care professionals. But where do Restonians go for the best in health care?

We asked Reston Now readers last week, and these six doctors were mentioned the most. If you are a patient of theirs, give your favorite a vote and help them earn a Best Reston Business Award.

This poll will be open through May 14.

Reston’s Mark Lowenthal returns to Jeopardy tonight as he seeks to move on — and win big — in the show’s Battle of the Decades.

Lowenthal, who first competed on the show in 1988, returned to Jeopardy as a Battle of the Decades winner in February.

He earned a come-from-behind victory, along with $17,000, to advance to the quarterfinals. Both rounds were taped last year, Lowenthal says. He is sworn to secrecy about the results.

Overall, Lowenthal, a former State Department and CIA official and noted U.S. intelligence analyst, has won $163,901 in his four Jeopardy appearances since ’88. He is also the co-author of a book, Secrets of the Jeopardy Champions.

But the competition will be stiff in this next round. He will go up against Brad Rutter of Lancaster, Pa., who has won $3,385,702 in his Jeopardy appearances, and Dan Pawson of Brooklyn, NY, who has won $433,602. Ken Jennings, who holds the show’s record for longest winning streak (74 games in a row in 2004), will compete in the quarterfinal round on Thursday.

The Battle of the Decades will continue with the semifinals and final next week.

Jeopardy airs on WJLA (Channel 7) at 7:30 p.m.

One of the most popular questions we get here at Reston Now is “why is there a helicopter overhead?”

Often, we have to wait for the Fairfax County Police to tell us why. But now readers can go right to the source.

Fairfax County Police’s helicopter division has launched a new page  dedicated to the comings and goings of Fairfax 1, the police helicopter.

The Helicopter Division provides tactical police aviation support, aeromedical evacuation, search & rescue, and other specialized air support as needed within Fairfax County, and supports other jurisdictions as needed, FCPD says.

The chopper goes into the air for a variety of reasons. Among them in the last week: pursuing a suspect, robbery, suicide attempt, and DUI.

The site will list the missions and locations flown by Fairfax 1 in the last week, and also had links to Frequently Asked Questions and upcoming events.

What’s Up With…. — The wooden crosses as you approach Dulles International Airport? Religious statement or development guidepost? [Washington Post]

Being Prepared — Several volunteer groups helped the Fairfax County Emergency Management Office prepare emergency readiness kits for fourth graders. [Fairfax County]

It’s Bike to School Day! — All Reston Elementary Schools will have organized bike to school events on Wednesday, May 7, which is National Bike to School Day. So watch for wheels and kids this morning. [Reston Now]

Shred It — The Fairfax County Police Crimesolvers will host a shredding event/fundraiser Saturday at Dominion Virginia Power, 3072 Centreville Rd. in Herndon. Stop by and shred your personal papers securely for a suggested tax-deductible donation of $5 per bag/box.  [Fairfax County Police]

Possible Measles Exposure — The Fairfax County Department of Health says some Loudoun and Fairfax residents may have been exposed to the disease last week. [Virginia Department of Health]

HomeGoods, the discount home decor and kitchen supply store, opened a branch in Herndon last week.

The new store is located at 2545 Centreville Rd., in the Clocktower Shopping Center just off the Dulles Toll Road.

Reston residents previously had to travel to Tysons Corner or Fair Lakes to shop at a HomeGoods store.

The national chain is owned by TJX Companies, the same corporation that owns TJMaxx and Marshalls stores.

HomeGoods has a very loyal following for people looking for deals on anything from kitchen gadgets to rugs  to linens to dishes. HomeGoods also has a wide selection of seasonal items (this time of year, patio furniture and decor) and children’s items.