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Harrison Ruffin Tyler, grandson of 10th U.S. president and longtime Richmonder, dies at 96
Since 2020, Harrison Ruffin Tyler was the last living link to a vanished America. The Richmond resident, preservationist and chemical engineer, a man who founded water treatment company ChemTreat and for whom William & Mary’s history department is named, also had the distinction of being the grandson of a man who became U.S. president in 1841. As long as he lived, much of the great sweep of American history could be contained in just three generations of memory.
Harrison Tyler, preservationist and grandson of 10th president, dies at 96
Harrison Ruffin Tyler, a successful chemical engineer and preservationist who dedicated half his life to restoring and maintaining the colonial-era home of his grandfather President John Tyler as well as a Civil War fort nearby, died Sunday at 96, according to Annique Dunning, the executive director of Sherwood Forest, a national landmark that served as the residence for Mr. Tyler and his family. The cause of death was not immediately known. Mr. Tyler’s life was intertwined with those of his famous ancestors. His grandfather, the 10th president of the United States, was born in 1790, when George Washington was serving his first term as president, and served himself from 1841 to 1845. Mr. Tyler was also related to President William Henry Harrison, Pocahontas and Edmund Ruffin, a pro-slavery secessionist who fought in the Civil War.
Strawberry season cut short: Virginia farmers face new fungal foe
Late May is normally the heart of strawberry season at Messick’s Farm Market in Bealeton, which for almost a decade has used pick-your-own fields as the main attraction to its annual strawberry festival. But this year, strawberry season has been cut short at farms across the mid-Atlantic. The culprit: An emerging fungal disease called Neopestalotiopsis — better known as Neo-P. “They’re not producing like they normally would. It's pretty concerning,” Jimmy Messick said of his 5 acres of Chandler and Sweet Charlie strawberry plants.
Virginia consumers remain pessimistic about tariff policy
Virginia consumers don’t know whether to buy now or hold off purchases because of shifting tariff policies and President Donald Trump‘s threats, according to a new survey by Roanoke College. Consumer sentiment continued to fall in Virginia, though not as steeply as nationally, according to the latest quarterly survey that the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research released on Wednesday.
Consumer confidence in Virginia nears record low as economic anxiety grows
Consumer sentiment in Virginia continues to slide, reaching its second-lowest level on record, according to the latest quarterly report by the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research (IPOR) at Roanoke College, released Wednesday. “While the labor market remains strong and wage growth is outpacing inflation, uncertainty is weighing heavily on consumers, particularly around tariffs,” said Alice Louise Kassens, Roanoke College’s John S. Shannon Professor of Economics and senior analyst at IPOR. “This uncertainty is reflected in both short- and long-term inflation expectations, which remain elevated despite recent easing in actual inflation rates.”
How work requirements for Medicaid could affect Virginians
The U.S. Senate is considering a massive budget bill, passed by House Republicans, that seeks to save money by adding work requirements to Medicaid. When Virginia tried adding similar work requirements years ago, the Department of Medical Assistance Services, which oversees the state's Medicaid program, said about 50,000 people would lose coverage. But that number would likely to be higher now since more Virginians are enrolled than in 2018. Rough estimates from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, for example, show nearly 200,000 Virginians losing coverage, including those who work or qualify for an exemption.
Christian students challenge Virginia’s exclusion of tuition aid to theological majors
Three college students filed a lawsuit against Virginia on Wednesday, claiming that the state's exclusion of theological majors from tuition aid eligibility is unconstitutional. "Students can pursue myriad different secular programs and even some religious programs in college while remaining eligible for both the State Tuition Assistance and National Guard Grants—but the one thing they cannot pursue are programs that government officials deem to be for religious training or theological education," the students wrote in their complaint. The students challenge provisions of the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program and the National Guard Tuition Assistance Grant Program, which are administered by the State Council of Higher Education and the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, respectively.
A casino proposal in Northern Virginia is a hot topic on the campaign trail this year
Special interests are hoping to strike it rich next year in Richmond. It's a shifting political landscape for a proposed Tysons Corner casino. The closer you live to a proposed casino site in Fairfax County, the more likely you are to oppose it. That’s how Delegate Holly Seibold of Vienna explains her opposition to the proposed entertainment district in Tysons Corner featuring a casino. “The constituents in my district would like their voices heard loud and clear," Seibold says. "They didn’t ask for this casino, nor do they want one.”
Democratic candidates for attorney general talk opioids, Trump and Southwest Virginia
Two Democratic candidates, Jay Jones and Shannon Taylor, will face off on the June 17 primary ballot in their bid to become Virginia’s next attorney general. Neither Jones nor Taylor is from Southwest or Southside Virginia, but both had ideas for how they could best support the two regions.
Abigail Spanberger launches her first TV ad in Virginia governor's race
Democratic former Rep. Abigail Spanberger is launching her first TV ad of the 2025 Virginia governor's race, detailing her background as she ramps up her campaign in one of the most closely watched elections of the year. “Too many politicians talk when they should listen and divide instead of unite. Enough is enough,” Spanberger says in the 60-second spot, shared first with NBC News. She also highlights her experience in the CIA and her time in Congress, stressing her work with both parties.