Governor McAuliffe invites Senate Republican Mitch McConnell to visit a free health clinic for the poor in Southwestern Virginia, as the Senate continues to consider repealing Obamacare… Agriculture in our area is growing like a well-tended field of crops… and, we kick off a series of profiles of interesting women in our area today….

Over the next few months we’ll profile some women in our region doing things... a little differently. These are women with unique perspectives, in new roles, or simply approaching life along the road less-traveled. Like many other women, they are changing the lives of people around them in positive ways. This is the first in the WMRA series 'Women of Interest'.

Governor McAuliffe says the Republican failure in Washington to enact any health care legislation may open the door to his longtime goal of expanding Medicaid in Virginia… The Democrat who would like to replace him is rolling out an economic plan for rural Virginia…. And, Jessie Knadler has a deep look at protecting Virginia’s waterways….

The majority of streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed – that includes most rivers that flow through the Shenandoah Valley – are in some state of pollution. The first and best stop for clean-up is on agricultural land. But government assistance is woefully inadequate—and if President Trump’s proposed budget goes through could become even worse. WMRA’s Jessie Knadler looks at the future of water quality in Virginia.

The American Civil Liberties Union predicts that by 2030, the number of state and federal prisoners who are 55 and older will be more than 400,000, or one-third of prisoners. In Harrisonburg this weekend, the public is invited to attend the premiere event of a new chapter of an organization called Release Aging People in Prison. WMRA’s Christopher Clymer Kurtz reports.

Civil rights groups, and Charlottesville citizens, are complaining about police conduct during the KKK rally and counter-protest earlier this month, and some want the governor’s office to investigate… Meanwhile, the governor does an end run around President Trump to forge a trade pact with Mexico City….

Of the 15 residents speaking at last night’s city council meeting in Charlottesville, 13 complained about the militarization of the Charlottesville police at the KKK counter-protests on July 8th. WMRA’s Marguerite Gallorini reports.

Bee colonies in Virginia may soon get some help from a new program to manage pesticides… the family of a woman killed in Charlottesville five years ago seeks help from the public in solving her murder… and Senator Mark Warner doesn’t believe Donald Trump didn’t know about that meeting between a Russian lawyer and his son last year….

Exactly five years after her murder, the family of Pherbia Tinsley is still searching for answers. WMRA’s Sefe Emokpae has more on their message from Charlottesville.

The state Supreme Court rules against an Augusta County property owner in her fight to keep Atlantic Coast Pipeline surveyors off her land… Corey Stewart is back – he narrowly lost the GOP bid to run for governor, but he says he’ll run against Tim Kaine for Senate next year…