Democrats in Richmond elect a diverse slate of judges for new spots on the Appeals Court, four of them Black, four of them women, and one of them a lawyer from Charlottesville… More on the debate over whether local school districts must adopt mask mandates… We have the story of a start-up in Charlottesville that aims to make public places more accessible to those with mobility issues….

JMU joins other universities in requiring everyone on campus indoors to wear a mask, at least temporarily… A review of the General Assembly special session, with an approved budget and a slate of new judges… As sea levels rise along Virginia’s coast, the state is collecting stories from those now bearing the brunt.…

If you’re going into a UVa building today, you’ll need to wear a facemask… The General Assembly strikes a deal on stimulus spending… The U.S. Senate passes Tim Kaine’s legislation to provide more mental health resources for healthcare workers, in honor of a doctor from Charlottesville who took her own life during the pandemic….

Governor Northam says he wants all state employees to be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine… Virginia’s community colleges, and more local K-12 schools, will require masking indoors for the fall… We review the week in Richmond, as lawmakers negotiate over differences in how to spend stimulus money, and decide who to appoint for eight new judge slots….

As part of WMRA’s partnership with StoryCorps in the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia, we’re sharing a conversation today between John Hutchinson from The Valley Conservation Council and Kate Wofford from Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley , two conservationists who talk about their careers, the environmental milestones they've achieved, and projects they’re currently undertaking.

Waynesboro joins the list of public schools requiring masks indoors… The General Assembly moves ahead on its spending plan for federal stimulus money, with renewed protections against evictions and bonuses for sheriff’s deputies… We share another local StoryCorps conversation between two Shenandoah Valley conservationists….

Harrisonburg and Charlottesville public school students will go back to school with masks… The General Assembly addresses the eviction problem during its special session… Although pot possession is now legal in Virginia, the only way to get it legally is to grow your own, and that means a big boost for local nurseries and garden stores….

A White man is in jail after physically attacking a Black demonstrator in Staunton, and calling him a racial slur… It was like the first day of school, as state lawmakers returned to Richmond for the first in-person session in 500 days, with fist-bumps, and disagreements… After years of falling into disrepair, and a COVID delay, the Warm Springs Pools in Bath County are back on the list for renovation…

After years of falling into disrepair, plans to rehabilitate the Warm Springs Pools in Bath County are back on, according to the owners. WMRA’s Bridget Manley reports.

LGBTQ advocates and legal experts decry the Augusta County School Board’s decision to reject new state guidelines protecting transgender students… A Lynchburg judge says Liberty University’s lawsuit against former leader Jerry Falwell, Jr., can go ahead… The General Assembly reconvenes in special session today….