Reston's Plague Year: Week Two (Updated 4/3)

Another day, more gang code in Reston's underpasses. Courtesy of Confidential Restonian Operative "Joel," who wanted to make it clear these photos were taken "while walking our dog (allowed per Virginia Executive Order 55, paragraph 1b, taking care of animals, and 1e, engaging in outdoor activity)":

The last one's a bit hard to read, but says "At-home quarantinis: lime+tequila+PJs / champagne+grapefruit juice+jammies."

From a now-deleted tweet of a Reston grocery store delivery:

We would not have written “hoard seltzer water” on our Pandemic Bingo Card, but of course we have no paper products to write on anyway.

Consecutive signs seen on Baron Cameron:
STAY
HOME
SAVE
LIVES

Sorry, no Burma Shave at the end.

Nice:

Our Reston District Station recently received not one, but two generous donations from Nando’s and a nearby Starbucks. Thank you for donating, we are lucky to serve such a great community! 💙 #FCPD pic.twitter.com/9T6yQm1iZL

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) April 1, 2020

The Walker Nature Center's pandemic Twitter game remains strong:

It’s Fox Friday! Do you know any kids who are behaving like this while stuck at home? #nature #Reston #fox #wildlife #walkernaturecenter #quarantinelife pic.twitter.com/F7RSQbGqFD

— Walker Nature Center (@restonnature) April 3, 2020

A bittersweet throwback from South Lakes HS:

For today's musical moment, we're throwing it all the way back to last fall and one of our first ever performances of the closer. This is The South Lakes "Spirit of Reston" Marching Band with their 2019 production - Vikings: Fate of the Warrior. #TBT pic.twitter.com/ehoGzH1Sga

— South Lakes HS Band (@southlakesband) April 2, 2020

A message of hope or secret gang code in Reston's pedestrian tunnels? You make the call.

The Reston tennis community isn't thrilled with the RA's decision to padlock its outdoor tennis courts. Beau Lendman writes:

With so few exercise options available that comply with COVID-19 safety restrictions, there is vital significance to maintaining access to RA’s tennis facilities for use by member tennis players.

I understand that recent misuse of RA tennis facilities, possibly by non-members or others, is the main basis for the closure decision. However, this simplistic solution of total closure is not the only option. Other measures could be introduced that would involve the significant Reston tennis community to control and monitor court access and use. Many of us have the free time available and interest to provide such support if it would facilitate the reopening of our tennis facilities. Let’s take this opportunity to be creative, engage with local stakeholders and come up with other solutions that will address all legitimate concerns without facility closures.

We are being called on to make meaningful sacrifices in nearly every aspect of our lives. If there’s an opportunity to preserve a safe recreational activity such as tennis, we should be making every effort to do so.

Reston-based Nova Labs is 3-D printing face shields for medical staff:

@kingWTOP check us out! We are a group of volunteers from Reston, VA who have made and distributed over 550 reusable faceshields to medical professionals across the DMV. pic.twitter.com/zlLl9u9krJ

— Nova Labs (@nova_labs) April 2, 2020

RA reschedules its annual meeting to April 30, when it will be held online. We'll have to wait on the results of the RA election until then.

The Hunters Woods at Trails Edge retirement community in South Reston came up with a novel approach for a socially distant happy hours.

@johnkrasinski #SomeGoodNews #SocialDistancing doesn't mean we can't have happy hour! Our teams just have to get creative, like this happy-hour-on-wheels option that the team at Hunters Woods at Trails Edge in Reston came up with. #CareNotCOVID @ahcancal pic.twitter.com/7AZxW05IGl

— IntegraCare (@IntegraCare) April 2, 2020

So much for tennis and tot lots:

Due to state mandates and public health guidelines related to the COVID-19, RA has closed all tennis courts, tot lots, basketball courts and pavilions. Parklands and ballfields are open, but social distancing protocols are encouraged in order to prevent the spread of the virus. pic.twitter.com/bjMQs99YVe

— Reston Association (@RestonOnline) March 31, 2020

Apparently folks at the Midtown condos in Reston Town Center are doing the nightly applause for first responders.

While some of us stay home, others take social distancing to new heights:

@granthpaulsen tower crane operator in reston va is my essential job apparently! pic.twitter.com/A2w8KDeUF9

— Silk Drips on you (@pizzpoppin) March 31, 2020

Kalypso's is the latest in closed restaurants to launch a GoFundMe for its employees. (See other Reston fundraisers for idled staff near the bottom of this earlier post.)

Add the Herndon Festival to the long list of canceled events. On the bright side, if you had jury duty through April 17, it's probably canceled.

Good news and bad news for those looking for toilet paper:

@HarrisTeeter in Reston, VA just charged my daughter $25 for 16 rolls of toilet paper - our first purchase in 4 weeks, we’re not Hoarding or over buying and we’re returning it!! Shame on @HarrisTeeter and bye-bye @harristeeter. #harristeeterpricegouging #harristeetersteals

— Kate Dolby (@HappyRealtorGrl) April 1, 2020

A message from Fairfax County, echoing the governor's stay-at-home order:

👇
Do.

Your.

Part.#thankyou pic.twitter.com/x0RUpyR4qd

— Fairfax County Government (@fairfaxcounty) March 31, 2020

Meanwhile, the cranes in Reston keep moving. Some people ask if that’s okay.

@GovernorVA @Comstockcos @MillerandLong You need to halt construction of your HOTEL at Wiehle-Reston metro now!! This is NOT an essential building. No social distancing. No masks. You are putting workers at serious risk. #Reston #RestonVA #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/ovLUOEk9C4

— Laura Avakian ✨ (@lauravakian) March 30, 2020

This week is the Virginia is for lovers takeout restaurant week. Lots of good options out there.

A message from RCC Center Stage: "Even though we have canceled all performances in April and May, we know artists will return. Art will again be made here. Audiences will return." Videos from canceled performers at the link.

Beware coronavirus scams.

A message of solidarity from the W&OD trail, via (shudder) Nextdoor:

Gov. Ralph Northam will discuss a major announcement about Virginia's COVID-19 response at 2pm Monday.

The Reston Association extends its assessment payment deadline to April 30. It's still the last week to vote in the RA board elections.

Say goodbye to the purple glass recycling bin at the Reston South Park and Ride, among other county locations and changes to trash and recycling pickup. You can take your glass bottles to the I-66 transfer station, or just put them in the trash.

Yikes.

@RestonNow Line to get into @HomeDepot in #Reston
Just not worth the risk!#SocialDistancing pic.twitter.com/zUbxUy4oKN

— Eddie (@WFOcom) March 28, 2020

VDOT is taking advantage of the light traffic that, you know, a pandemic causes:

Beginning at 8AM Mon 3/30, Rt 7 between Reston Ave and Jarrett Valley Dr will have extended lane closure hours for the Route 7 Corridor Improvements Project due to lighter traffic volumes. More info: https://t.co/IweEENNqmI pic.twitter.com/lbDQkuKHY7

— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) March 29, 2020