COVID-19 hospitalizations fall in western Va., supporters say no parallel between Cuomo and Northam scandals, the world’s hottest beer(?), and more headlines

NEWS TO KNOW
Our daily roundup of headlines from Virginia and elsewhere.

• Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in western Virginia continue to fall.—WVTF

• Some are trying to draw parallels between the crisis facing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Gov. Ralph Northam’s blackface scandal, though Northam supporters don’t see the comparison.—Associated Press

• A group in Southwest Virginia is trying to revive the mighty American chestnut, a once widespread tree that was decimated by a blight in the early 20th century. “We lost a treasure, so let’s try to bring it back where and when we can,” one advocate said.—The Citizen

• Outdoor graduations in Virginia can have up to 5,000 people in attendance this spring, Gov. Ralph Northam said.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• Virginia’s governor’s race “is more crowded than any other in modern history, perhaps ever, with 13 declared candidates in the running: seven Republicans, five Democrats and one independent.”—Washington Post 

• Students at Gar-Field High in Prince William mourned the loss of a well-liked math teacher, who died after a two-month battle with COVID-19. “Mr. Z was hands down the most understanding teacher. He made us laugh, and he just made everyone feel so comfortable,” one student said. “He was just a really genuine person. That’s probably why it hurts so bad that he passed away.” —Prince William Times

• The College of William and Mary’s “Lemon Project” is an effort to research the enslaved people who lived and worked at the college.—WHRO

• Meet the 49-year-old Marion man who takes in hundreds of sick, orphaned and injured wild animals a year for rehabilitation. “My goal is to give these animals another day to live and enjoy the life they were meant to have,” he said. — Bristol Herald Courier

• Severe weather, including the possibility of tornados, could be on the way for some parts of Virginia today.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• A Fredericksburg brewery thinks it might have made “the hottest beer in the world,” even asking a chemist to prove it. “We took a barrel of our pineapple IPA and dosed it with approximately 500 Carolina Reaper chilis,” the brewery’s co-owner said. — WVTF

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