Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1861, two Union gunboats exchanged fire with a Confederate battery at Sewell's Point in Hampton Roads. The small skirmish, while inconclusive, was one of the first naval battles of the Civil War.

Henrico County's Board of Education is expected to vote next month on whether to make homework optional. Most readers of The Virginia Flyover think homework is important.

"Learning to set a time to complete homework is a quality you will carry through your life: self-discipline," one wrote. "There are some subjects that require repetition to master, such as math, and some that require more time than classroom time allows, such as reading assignments," another wrote.

On the other hand, "practicing getting wrong answers can be worse than not doing homework," someone said. "I once had a teacher who didn't assign homework at all," another wrote. "He was still demanding, but as much on himself as on the students. I really admired and respected him for that."

Could one of the most common foods in your kitchen actually help guard your brain against Alzheimer’s? Two major studies published in The Journal of Nutrition uncovered a fascinating connection that researchers believe points to one key nutrient in this everyday food. On The Flyover Podcast, Ayla Brown unpacks the science behind the findings and what this could mean for your daily routine. Listen here.

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Dominion May Merge

Dominion Energy announced plans to be acquired by NextEra Energy, the largest electric power and energy infrastructure company in North America. The merger would create the world's largest regulated utility.

The all-stock deal is valued at roughly $67 billion. If it goes through, NextEra shareholders would control three-quarters of the new company, while current Dominion investors would own one-quarter.

"We are bringing NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy together because scale matters more than ever," NextEra CEO John Ketchum said. He would run the company, while current Dominion head Robert Blue would run its regulated utilities business.

Combined, the companies would serve about 10 million accounts in the Commonwealth, Florida, and the Carolinas. It would generate 110 gigawatts of electricity from various sources, including natural gas, renewables, nuclear, and batteries.

UVA Takes National Tennis Title

While most University of Virginia seniors were attending graduation ceremonies over the weekend, the men's tennis team was busy on the courts of Athens, Georgia. The Cavaliers brought home the team's seventh NCAA tennis championship with a 4-3 victory over Texas.

The Longhorns claimed the doubles point to open the competition, but UVA bounced back in singles competition throughout the afternoon.

In the day's final match, with the competition tied, the Cavaliers turned to Dylan Dietrich, the country's top singles player. After dropping the first set in a tiebreaker, he bounced back to win the match 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. Dietrich was named MVP of the tournament.

“That's our culture out there, just a never-say-die attitude," head coach Andres Pedroso said. "We try to do it in a classy way and I think that's what these guys did."

Of Grace and Grit Debuts

The Richmond Symphony premiered a piece last weekend that it commissioned from composer Stacy Garrop.

The work, titled Of Grace and Grit, was inspired by the life of Lynchburg-born astronaut Leland Melvin. He was on hand at the debut to describe his service during two flights on the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Leland almost didn't make it to orbit. He lost his hearing during a training accident and was initially disqualified. After surgery partially restored his hearing in one ear, he was cleared for launch.

Garrop said her piece attempts to give listeners the feeling of leaving Earth and experiencing space flight.

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➤ Virginia Beach: A motorcyclist died after attempting to evade a state trooper on I-264. The motorcycle was traveling at more than 100 mph when it exited the freeway and eventually struck a city police car. (Details)

➤ Statewide: The Virginia Department of Transportation will suspend many highway work zones and lift temporary lane closures throughout the Commonwealth during the upcoming Memorial Day three-day weekend. (More)

➤ Richmond: The regional authority that oversees the abandoned Richmond Coliseum approved funding to tear it down. The facility has been dark since 2019, and it's unclear what might be built on the site. (Details)

➤ Verona: Augusta Water purchased Seawright Springs, which can deliver up to 1 million gallons per day of drinking water. The authority now owns three springs throughout the county. (More)

➤ Page County: Authorities charged 40-year-old Russell Timothy Ropka with two counts related to bomb making after he was arrested over the weekend. Sheriff's deputies spotted an apparent explosive device in his vehicle after a chase. (Details)

➤ Washington, D.C.: The Washington Nationals banned at least one person from the stadium after a group unfurled a white nationalist banner during Sunday's game. An usher tried to confiscate the sign, but the three people holding it pulled it away and fled the ballpark. (More)

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➤ UVA men's golf opened play this week at the Winston-Salem Regional. The Cavaliers have reached the NCAA Championship final round for two straight years. (Scores)

➤ UVA men's track and field captured the ACC Outdoor Championship last weekend for the second time in three years. Virginia Tech placed third. (More)

➤ The Washington Capitals hosted a free street hockey clinic for more than 30 students at a D.C. elementary school this weekend, with participants receiving free equipment to take home. More clinics are scheduled for this summer in Alexandria and Reston. (Details)

Yesterday's Results: NBA | NHL | MLB | NCAAB | Soccer

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➤ The price of gas in the Commonwealth increased 2.1 cents per gallon in the week that ended yesterday. The tracking site GasBuddy reported an average price of $4.31 per gallon, up 41.7 cents month-over-month and $1.35 year-over-year. (Details)

➤ The New River Valley Home Builders Association in Christiansburg launched a nonprofit foundation aimed at housing, education, and workforce development. (More)

➤ Microporous announced it has lined up funding to build a major manufacturing facility in Danville, where it will produce battery separators. (Details)

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➤ The nation's largest collection of works by artist Bob Ross is housed in Loudoun County. The painter died of cancer in 1995. (Details)

➤ Beach Blanket Cinema returns to Virginia Beach next month, offering free movies at the Oceanfront. (The Schedule)

➤ Alberta unveiled a new "Love" sign assembled by students in welding classes at Rowanty Technical Center. It's one of several signs placed throughout the Commonwealth as a nod to the slogan "Virginia is for Lovers." (Details)

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