‘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
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.
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]
Saturday is Junior Golf Day at Reston National — Reston National Golf Course will host its annual Junior Golf Day Saturday, May 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. The free event will feature instructional clinics conducted by PGA professionals, contests and prizes, and “Golfzilla,” a 19-foot tall inflatable dinosaur. Golfers can also demo the latest Nike Golf clubs on Reston National’s driving range.
Multicultural Festival Needs Performers — The 2014 Reston Multicultural Festival is Sept. 27. The annual event is still in need of performers, so if you have a dance troupe, storytelling corps, music group or other appropriate entertainment act, applications are being accepted through May 16. [Reston Community Center]
Sneak Peek — Take a look at at plans for Innovation Center, the 1.65 million-square-foot mixed-use development planned for the Route 28 Metro Station, part of Phase 2 of the Silver Line. The plans go before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors later this month. [Washington Post]
Vote Today — Voting for the Best Reston Business Awards continues. New polls up today will be Best New Business (9 a.m.), Best Pet Care (12 p.m.) and Best Burger (3 p.m.).
Military, Police Team Up For Motorcycle Safety — May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, so Fairfax County Police partnered with military members at a training session last week at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. [Fairfax County Police]
McAuliffe On Virginia Business — Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe was at Herndon’s Volkswagen of America headquarters on Friday highlighting his efforts to bring more international investment to the Commonwealth and diversify the economy. [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Best Reston Business Voting Begins — Each day this week, Reston Now will have three posts featuring polls that are now open for voting in our Best Reston Business Awards. Vote today for Best Gym, Trainer or Fitness Business (posts at 9 a.m.), Best Outdoor Dining (12 p.m.) and Best Real Estate Agent (3 p.m.). These polls will be open through May 12.
Drinking Season Brings Increased Awareness — May has been designated as Parents Who Host, Lose the Most Month by the Fairfax County School Board and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in support of a countywide initiative that aims to reduce underage drinking as prom and graduation season approaches. [FCPS]
How Much Rain Fell Wednesday? — A lot. More than six inches in some Virginia spots. [WTOP]
Triathlon Still Needs Volunteers — The Be Amyazing YouthTriathon is May 11. The organizers could still use some volunteers. [Amy’s Amigos]
Shop For Prom and Save — The FCPS Prom Shop, operated by marketing students from Centreville High School and the Fair Oaks Classroom on the Mall, opens its Prom Dress Shop Friday. The Prom Dress Shop is located on the upper level of Fair Oaks Mall in the former Champps Restaurant between the Corner Bakery and Texas de Brazil. Students from any area high school who are in need of a prom dress, and do not have the funds to purchase one, can come to the Prom Dress Shop. They must show a valid student ID, or other form of school identification in order to select a free dress. The shop is open limited hours through June 1. [FCPS]
Fifty Years of Reston — If you missed Monday’s Symposium “Reston at 50: Looking Back at Forward Thinking,” here is a recap from co-sponsor George Mason University. [GMU]
MWAA’s Nowakowski to Long Island — Pat Nowakowski, who announced several weeks ago he was leaving his post as head of the Silver Line project, will be new president of the Long Island Railroad. [Washington Post]
Golden Parachute — How much did former Leidos COO walk away with when he left his post? Plenty. [Washington Business Journal]
FCPS Will Have to Revisit Its Budget — How is the school system going to make up the $17 million gap between what they asked for from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and what they got? [Fairfax Times]
New at GRACE — Incubator exhibition will be on display until July 5. [Reston Connection]
Photo courtesy of Reston Town Center via Facebook
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle on Thursday — Reston Town Center is hosting its R4 Recycling event from 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursday. Bring items to the pavilion. They can recycle: cell phones, compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), computers and electronics (hard drives will be destroyed on site), glasses and hearing aids. There will also be document shredding.
DREAM A Reality For Virginia Children — Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D) said on Tuesday that children of undocumented immigrants can qualify for in-state tuition at Virginia colleges and universities. [Washington Post]
McDonnell Gets Teaching Job — Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is teaching part time as a visiting professor of government at Liberty University. [Washington Post]
Summer At GRACE — The Greater Reston Arts Center is hosting many week-long art camps this summer. Camps will take place at Reston elementary schools. Camps are for first through eighth graders. [GRACE]
Sign Up For Reston Relay Tri — Reston’s first relay triathlon, benefitting the YMCA and Reston Association, is June 22. Registration is now open (Cost: $105/team). [Reston Relay Tri]
Higher Education On The Rise — The Commonwealth of Virginia ranks 10th in the nation for college attainment, according to a Lumina Foundation report. That’s down a spot from last year, even though Virginia’s total number of students earning a degree rose. [WJLA]
Do You Subscribe to Reston Now? — Have you subscribed to Reston Now’s free daily email newsletter? Get all the day’s news in your inbox weekdays about 4 p.m. [Reston Now]
Photo: Comcast employees help Reston’s Laurel Learning Center playground get into Spring shape/Credit: Cornerstones
Herndon High Gets a Hall of Fame — Herndon High School will be inducting its first Athletic Hall of Fame class in a ceremony June 7. A committee of former HHS athletes and coaches selected the candidates, who date all the way back to the 1940s. [Herndon High Athletics]
Comstock Wins — Virginia Del. Barbara Comstock easily won the 10th District Republican Primary over the weekend. Comstock will run against Democrat John Foust in November’s general election to replace Frank Wolf, who is retiring after more than 30 years. The 10th District represents nearby places such as McLean, Great Falls and Herndon. [Politico]
Cost Issue Delaying New SOLs — The commonwealth had planned to roll out a new adaptive SOL over the next few years, but but a reduction in funding associated with the General Assembly’s decision to eliminate five of the state’s 22 standardized tests is delaying that effort. [Washington Post]
The History Of Hoarding — Fairfax County Law Enforcement officials get a look at this very real problem and how to deal with it. [Fairfax Times]
Photo of post-race fun at SLHS’ Band on the Run 5K Saturday/Credit: Melissa Gifford
Band on The Run 5K Saturday — Help the South Lakes High School Band Boosters by taking part in the Band on the Run 5K at 8 a.m. Saturday. Race is open to children and adults. Runners will be entertained by SLHS pyramid bands while they run. [PR Racing]
Fairfax County Animal Shelter Consolidates Adoption — Thinking of getting a shelter pet? The Fairfax County Animal Shelter will now combine the adoption and spay/neuter fees, which save owners money and streamline the process. [Fairfax County]
Tonight: Giving Circle’s Empty Bowls — Reston nonprofit Giving Circle of HOPE will hold its annual Empty Bowls fundraiser Friday from 5:30 pm to 8 pm at the Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon. Tickets are $30 at the door, which includes supper of soup, bread, a beverage, dessert and a ceramic bowl. [Giving Circle of HOPE]
Holton Will Be NVCC Commencement Speaker — Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton will be the keynote speaker at Northern Virginia Community College’s 48th Commencement on Sunday, May 18 at George Mason University’s Patriot Center. Holton, the wife of Sen. Tim Kaine (D), is also a former lawyer, judge and first lady of Virginia.
Art and Orthodontia? — Sunrise Orthodontics, 11490 Commerce Park Dr., is teaming with Greater Reston Arts Center to sponsor a weeklong exhibit of art from local schoolchildren. The artwork featured is from the GRACE Art program at Lake Anne Elementary and is based on a lesson about artist Wassily Kandinsky. The exhibit runs from April 26 to May 2.
Great Grapes Returns — Great Grapes! wine and food festival returns to Reston Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Hundreds of wines will be be available for tasting, along with food vendors and great shopping opportunities. [Great Grapes]
Chapter Two Debuts — The Reston Community Players production of Neil Simon’s Chapter Two opens Friday at the Reston Community Center. Performances are also Saturday, as well as May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10. All are 8 p.m., except May 4, which is a 2 p.m. matinee. [Reston Community Players]
Tops in Contracting — Several big companies with Reston/Herndon headquarters had a great year in government contracting despite 2013’s sequestration. [Washington Business Journal]
Saturday: Southgate Community Day — There will be music, food, games and family fun at Southgate Community Center’s Annual Southgate Community Day on Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. Southgate Community Center located at 12125 Pinecrest Road. The event is free [Fairfax County]
Photo: Earth Day plating at Walker Nature Education Center/Credit: Reston Association
Back to Richmond — The Virginia General Assembly will reconvene in Richmond beginning today for a special veto session. [WCYB]
RA Covenants Committee Needs You — There are two open spots on Reston Association’s Covenants Committee, which homeowners stick to the Use and Maintenance Covenants set forth in the Reston Deed of Dedication. The three-year terms are for South Lakes rep and a Lake Anne/Tall Oaks rep. [Reston Association]
More Winter Recap — Are area snowstorms getting snowier or are school systems getting wimpier? .The Capital Weather Gang does some major analysis. [Capital Weather Gang]
Air Bag Thefts On the Rise — Fairfax County Police say new hot stolen items are car air bags. A rash of air bag thefts have taken place in the Fair Oaks and Mason District. [Fairfax County Police]
Reston Friends Benefits from LEAP — As part of the Re-Energize Reston Challenge, in partnership with LEAP, a check for $1,190 was presented to Friends of Reston on April 15. The funds were used to help purchase the 50 trees Friends’ volunteers planted on Arbor Day to celebrate Reston’s 50th anniversary. The Re-Energize Challenge is a year-long activity with a goal to provide home health check-ups for 1,964 homes in Reston. Friends of Reston will receive $10 for every check-up completed. [Reenergize Reston]
Tune In With The Chamber — The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce will host a free “Movie Night at the Chamber” to benefit the Washington West Film Festival on Thursday, May 1 from 6-9 p.m. They will screen the Tom Hanks’ produced award-winning film An Article of Hope, directed by DC native Dan Cohen. Cohen will be in attendance for a Q&A following the film, along with Washington West Film Festival president, Brad Russell. The screening will in the Chamber offices located at 1763 Fountain Drive. To RSVP for this event, contact Mark Ingrao at [email protected] or call 703.707.9045.
Reston Financial Planner Earns Honor — Judy Redpath, founder of Reston’s VISTA Wealth Strategies LLC, has received the Women’s Choice Award from WomenCertified. The selection is based on 17 objective criteria, including a client survey to obtain feedback regarding service and practices. [WomenCertified]
New Owner for HireStrategy — Reston-based staffing firm HireStrategy has been acquired by Chicago-based Addison Group for an undisclosed sum. HireStrategy chief executive Paul Villella, who founded the company in 2000, will continue to lead the company. [Washington Business Journal]
FISH Fling This Week — The ninth annual FISH Fling Gala to benefit Herndon Reston FISH (Friendly Instant Sympathetic Help) is this Saturday. The FISH Fling is crucial in providing over $50,000 to support FISH’s Family Assistance Program, which helps hundreds of families annually. The event also honors those volunteers and partners who have made a difference in the Herndon-Reston community. Tickets are $85 ($40 tax deductible). [Herndon Reston FISH]
Celebrate Sizanani — Reston-based Global Camps Africa will celebrate its 10th anniversary Saturday with a fundraising gala. Sizanani is a camp founded by Reston’s Phil Lilienthal for children in South Africa who have been affected by HIV and AIDS. Tickets start at $75. [Celebrate Sizanani]
DC Area Pricey For Renters — The District (and surrounding areas like Farifax County ) come in No. 2 as the most expensive rental market in the country, says the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The Washington area comes in behind Hawaii, where a person needs to make an average of $31.54 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment. Around here, that number is $28.25. Virginia in general comes in at No. 10 on the list. [WTOP]
Who Wants to Head the Silver Line? — Pat Nowakowski, the executive director of the Silver Line rail project, announced last week he is leaving his $257,000 a year job. With the project behind schedule, that’s a tough position, and Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO Jack Potter says there are “big shoes to fill.” Here’s the job description. [Washington Post]
