The Governor and the First Lady help launch economic and education initiatives in Charlottesville... A preview of what to watch for in next month’s General Assembly elections… Meanwhile, Democrats get a celebrity boost from Alec Baldwin….

Rural Virginia has voted overwhelmingly Republican in recent decades. As Ben Paviour from VPM News reports, a group of Democrats running for the General Assembly, including one in the Lexington area's 24th House district, are trying to change that.

The expansion of a mental health hospital in Staunton is being delayed and costs are going up… We take a look at one House of Delegates race in the Lexington area, where Democrats are fighting hard to turn the deep red 24 th district blue this year… We check with an expert at Shenandoah National Park to explore why the fall colors are a little late this year….

You may have noticed that autumn leaf colors seem a bit late this year. WMRA’s Mike Tripp paid a visit to Shenandoah National Park to explore the reasons why.

The first residential drone package delivery service in the U.S. is off the ground in Virginia… Governor Northam says Virginia has made what he calls the largest renewable energy contract ever negotiated for state government… The University of Virginia pioneers a less invasive treatment for thyroid patients….

Strasburg's controversial mayor turns himself in over charges that he misused town and state funds… Virginia education officials endorse a new way to more fairly allocate money for schools… We hear from one expert on the link between poverty and eviction….

The man accused of making racist threats against a black activist in Charlottesville pleads not guilty… For many crops in Virginia, Wednesday's rain was too little, too late… The battle for control of Virginia’s legislature is breaking records in political fundraising, and some of that money is paying for ads on your TV….

State officials warn this could be one of the most severe fall wildfire seasons in years… A majority of Virginians favor the House’s impeachment inquiry, according to one poll… We meet one couple bringing magic and mystery, including Quidditch, to Staunton….

Unless you’ve been living under a sorcerer’s stone, you’ve probably heard of a game called "Quidditch." And you may be aware that it exists not just in the fictional world of Harry Potter, but in real life too. WMRA’s Mike Tripp recently met with one Staunton couple to explain this sport, featured during the recent Queen City Mischief & Magic festival.

When it comes to apple production, Virginia ranks sixth in the nation – well behind the leader: Washington State. But it’s worth noting that farmers here offer a huge variety and Virginia's cider industry is growing. Virginia Public Radio's Sandy Hausman stopped at the state’s oldest cidery to learn more about the fruit and its delectable juice.