Here’s a look at how AP’s general news coverage is shaping up for select stories. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s complete coverage of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, and the rest of the world, visit Coverage Plan at newsroom.ap.org
Questions about coverage plans are welcome and should be directed to 919-510-8937, 202-641-9660, 410-837-8315, 804-643-6646 or metro@ap.org. Mid-South Assistant News Director Jonathan Drew can be reached at 919-510-8937 or jdrew@ap.org.
For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.
This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change. Expected stories may not develop, or late-breaking and more newsworthy events may take precedence. Coverage Plan will keep you up to date. All times are Eastern unless specified otherwise.
NORTH CAROLINA
SEA TURTLES-CLIMATE THREAT
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — It’s been a record-breaking year for sea turtles in Florida. Just as they have for millions of years, the turtles have crawled onto beaches, digging pits in the sand to lay their eggs. Florida’s preliminary count shows more than 133,840 loggerhead turtle nests and 76,500 green turtle nests, breaking records set years ago. Other southeastern U.S. states also report high numbers. But only one in 1,000 hatchlings lives to adulthood and climate change is threatening their species as beaches disappear under rising seas. Hotter sand makes more females, and the hatchlings are smaller and slower. Experts say their future remains ominous. By Curt Anderson. SENT: 820 words, photo, video.
____
VIRGINIA
VIRGINIA-EARNED SENTENCE CREDITS
RICHMOND, Va. — Some Virginia inmates could get earlier releases from prison after the state Department of Corrections changed the way it awards earned sentence credits for good behavior. The change came during a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Virginia challenging the way corrections officials calculated the credits for inmates with certain convictions. The ACLU said the change could potentially mean earlier releases for hundreds of inmates.
____
MARYLAND/DELAWARE
BIRD FLU
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says 1.35 million chickens are being slaughtered on an Ohio egg farm as the bird flu continues to take a toll on the industry. The outbreak that began in early 2022 has been much less severe this year as fewer cases of the virus are being found among the wild birds that spread it, but there have still been more than 8 million birds killed this year to help control the spread of the disease. A year ago, nearly 58 million birds were slaughtered because of the virus. Farmers work hard to keep the disease off their farms but it is difficult to keep it out entirely. By Josh Funk. SENT: 400 words.
INTERNET GAMBLING
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — In the 10 years that it has been operating in New Jersey, internet casino gambling has generated nearly $7 billion in revenue for casinos and their affiliates, sent over a billion dollars in tax revenue to the state’s coffers, and helped keep Atlantic City’s nine casinos afloat while they were shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. But it has yet to catch on beyond the six states that currently offer it: New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia. Some say the fear of drawing revenue away from physical casinos is one reason why it hasn’t expanded more widely. But analysts say the two modes of gambling are compatible. By Wayne Parry. SENT: 900 words, photos.
____
LOCALIZATION
COP28–EXTREME HEAT-LOCALIZE IT: Cities across the United States and around the world are grappling with ways to protect people from extreme heat as global warming pushes temperatures higher each year. In the shadow of the United Nations COP28 climate change conference opening later this month in Dubai, much work is already being done in attempts to ease extreme heat at the ground level in U.S. communities. We describe some of these efforts, offer suggestions for local reporting and link to AP coverage plans. Find the latest Localize It guides.
US-MED–SYPHILIS-LOCALIZE IT: Syphilis cases in U.S. newborns again are on the rise. It has health officials calling for new measures to stop the increase, including encouraging millions of sexually active women of childbearing age and their partners to get tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 3,700 babies were born with congenital syphilis in 2022. That’s 10 times more than a decade ago and a 32% increase from 2021. We link to the CDC’s county-level data and offer tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
OPIOID CRISIS-SETTLEMENTS-LOCALIZE IT: Legal settlements could provide local and state governments $50 billion to fight the deadly U.S. opioid overdose crisis. What will that look like in your community and how will the funds be distributed? We suggest resources and reporting threads for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
SOCIAL-MEDIA-CHILDREN-STATES-LOCALIZE IT: Dozens of U.S. states, including California and New York, have sued Meta Platforms Inc. alleging that they are harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis. The lawsuits claim that the social media giant deliberately designed features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms, leading to depression, anxiety and eating disorders. We list the states who are suing together, states that have filed separate lawsuits and states that are not suing, along with tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
____
NEW TO STORYSHARE: SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM NETWORK
Looking for more state news and photos? Sign up to participate in AP StoryShare, an online platform where news organizations from a growing list of states share content.
Besides state and regional news, StoryShare offers distinctive reporting around broad topics such as climate, education and Indigenous affairs. The platform now also has a network devoted to solutions-focused journalism.
Access to StoryShare is free for AP members. For account information, contact Jennifer Lehman at jlehman@ap.org or our team at storyshare@ap.org.
——————————
If you have photos of regional or statewide interest, please send them to the AP state photo center in New York, 888-273-6867. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.
——————————
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
