Reston's Plague Year: Week 7 (Updated 5/8)

As we enter what one person called the "guinea pig" phase of reopening the economy, Reston Farmer's Market is the first experiment for open-air markets in the county, starting tomorrow morning.

Record cold temperatures should keep things from getting too overcrowded on this first go, and we think it'll go better, or at least cause less bloodshed, than this. Rules and pre-ordering info here.

More Reston restaurants are reopening: Lake Anne's Local VA resumed offering takeout this week, and Red's Table in South Lakes is offering Mother's Day meals to go. And this was a good story about the Lake Anne Brew House's, ahem, can-do efforts to stay afloat in recent weeks.

Good news! Parking at the Wiehle-Reston Metro garage will be free this summer. Of course, there will be no Metro service during that period, but you can always catch a bus.

There's been a whole series of "nature is healing" memes during the pandemic, but as part of Public Art Reston's chalk challenge, apparently our lakes are becoming homes to giant, freakish monsters.

No word on whether the Reston Association plans to cite these sea monsters if they're 1/16" longer than the covenants allow.

Cino de Mayo was time to celebrate! Celebrate long, socially distanced lines, that is:

Same disastrous organization in Reston, VA. At least folks are keeping their distance... #CincoDeMayo pic.twitter.com/Kf8zW23yoz

— Danilo Cicak (@dacicak) May 5, 2020

Glass recycling has survived the plague. The purple containers are being put back at the Reston South Park and Ride lot and other country locations, and will be open for all those excess brown and green bottles we've been enjoying during our enforced stay-at-home time starting Monday. That didn't stop people from just leaving bottles in the empty spot where the container once stood in recent weeks, much like during the site's previous life as an all-purpose recycling center.

Finally, this week's edition of "why is the helicopter over Reston" was for a good cause:

#reston buzzed pic.twitter.com/3AV6SBGidn

— Bill Murray (@BillMurray00) May 4, 2020

@RestonNow #AmericaStrong @Reston_Hospital @FairfaxCountyPD @VSPPIO @ffxfirerescue THANK YOU!! pic.twitter.com/dhUt1WzT80

— Eddie (@WFOcom) May 4, 2020

Last night I had the privilege to thank our healthcare heroes at Reston Hospital Center and our dedicated public safety agencies working on the frontlines of the pandemic. Our community is grateful for their service and sacrifice. #FCPD #FCFRD #HunterMill pic.twitter.com/QZ9FdOTrgH

— Supervisor Walter Alcorn (@WalterAlcornFFX) May 5, 2020

Low level maneuvering by helicopter over reston hospital - very cool #reston #restonhospital pic.twitter.com/VTjIA2MdGb

— pmnathan (@pmnathan) May 4, 2020

@ffxfirerescue @FairfaxCountyPD fairfax counties finest salutes hospital workers at Reston hospital center
Thank you!!! pic.twitter.com/hyhtIWooda

— Andy Pullar (@AndyPullar1) May 5, 2020

Happening tonight: Parade for first responders scheduled in Reston. Starts at 7:15 PM. @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/yZ5S7ZYVBG

— Anna-Lysa Gayle (@AnnaLysaGayle) May 4, 2020

Rad drone video here.