RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ The James River Association says the overall health of its namesake river has reached a “major milestone.” In a biennial report issued Wednesday, the non-profit advocacy group said the James’ health has improved to a B-minus, based on a comprehensive assessment. That grade is up from the 2013 grade of a C-plus. The association said it is the first report to give the river’s health an overall grade in the “B” range. It said the grade represents “tremendous progress” from the river’s distinction as one of the most polluted in the nation. The James is called the nation’s founding river because of the central role it played when the first Europeans arrived more than 400 years ago. The river, of course, was already a huge resource for native populations.
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