Greater Mid-Atlantic News Digest 1 p.m.

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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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.

SOUTH CAROLINA

XGR-LETHAL INJECTION-SOUTH CAROLINA

The South Carolina House debates a bill that would allow pharmacies to sell the state the drugs needed for lethal injections without revealing their names. The state, which once had one of the busiest death chambers in the country, hasn’t been able to execute an inmate since 2011. By Jeffrey Collins. UPCOMING: 550 words by 2:30 p.m.

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VIRGINIA

SCHOOL SHOOTINGS PARENTS EXPLAINER

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — As school shootings continue across the U.S., parents and educators are facing increasing scrutiny. The latest example is a mother in Newport News, Virginia, who was charged last week after her 6-year-old used her gun to shoot his teacher during class on Jan. 6. The shooting has renewed calls for stronger laws aimed at preventing children from accessing firearms at home. But prosecutors have also started investigating whether the actions of school employees could lead to criminal charges. The criminal probe was announced a week after the wounded teacher sued the school system. She has accused administrators of ignoring multiple warnings that the boy had brought a gun to school. By Ben Finley and Denise Lavoie. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.

LEAKED DOCUMENTS-INVESTIGATION

BOSTON — A Massachusetts Air National Guardsman charged with leaking highly classified military documents has made a brief court appearance. But a hearing to determine whether he should remain jailed while awaiting trial has been delayed to give the defense more time to prepare. Jack Teixeira, 21, had been scheduled for a detention hearing in Boston’s federal court on Wednesday, but the judge canceled it after Teixeira’s lawyer filed a motion requesting that it be delayed for about two weeks. The defense said it “requires more time to address the issues presented by the government’s request for detention.” A new date has not yet been set. By Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker. SENT: 730 words, photos.

POEM CITY

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Each April, the country’s smallest capital city goes all out to celebrate poetry. Storefronts and restaurant windows around Montpelier, Vermont, are graced with poems written by Vermonters of all ages, poets read their works aloud at events, poetry workshops meet and, this year, the Kellogg Hubbard Library hosted its first poetry parade. Other cities around the country celebrate National Poetry Month in their own way. West Hollywood, California, is holding a poetry “spa day,” the New York Public Library hosts free workshops and the winning poems from a contest in Alexandria, Virginia, are displayed on city buses and trolleys in April and May. By Lisa Rathke. SENT: 680 words, photos.

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MARYLAND/DELAWARE

BALTIMORE-TRANS PRISONERS

BALTIMORE — A transgender woman has sued the Maryland correctional system claiming she was housed with men pretrial, sexually assaulted in the shower, placed in segregation and denied hormone therapy.

BIDEN-ECONOMY

As Washington slow-walks into a crisis with the nation’s creditworthiness hanging in the balance, President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are talking to two very different Americas. Biden visits a union training facility in Maryland to contrast his approach to resolving the debt standoff with that of Republicans. UPCOMING: 900 words by 3:30 p.m., video.

FOX-DOMINION LAWSUIT

DENVER — Fox News’ nearly $800 million settlement of a voting machine company’s defamation lawsuit marks the first milestone in a larger legal strategy designed to combat the false claims and conspiracy theories about elections that have rippled through the U.S. for nearly three years. Several similar lawsuits are teed up against those who have spread election lies, and that includes another lawsuit against Fox. Lawyers involved in the effort describe it as an attempt to strike back against those whose lies about fraud in the 2020 presidential election helped inspire the Capitol riot and continue to circulate in conservative circles today. By Nicholas Riccardi. SENT: 1,230 words, photos, video, audio.

MUSIC-FOO FIGHTERS

NEW YORK — Foo Fighters have announced a new album is in the works, the first since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins. The rockers said in a statement that the upcoming 10-track “But Here We Are” will be “a brutally honest and emotionally raw response to everything Foo Fighters endured over the last year.” The lead, driving single is “Rescued,” with the lyrics “I’m just waiting to be rescued/Bring me back to life. Kings and queens and in-betweens/We all deserve the right.” The new album will be released June 2. Hawkins died March 25, 2022, during a South American tour with the band. He was 50. By Mark Kennedy. SENT: 130 words, photo.

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SPORTS

BBO–ORIOLES-NATIONALS

WASHINGTON — After a 1-0 loss to the Orioles in the series opener, the Nationals send MacKenzie Gore to the mound Wednesday night. By Baseball Writer Noah Trister. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game starts at 7 p.m. ET.

FBN–NFL-AP MOCK DRAFT

Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud? Who goes No. 1 to the Carolina Panthers? There’s no general consensus for the top pick in the NFL draft for the second year in a row. Here’s the second version of the AP’s mock draft. By Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi. 1,000 words.

HKN–ISLANDERS-HURRICANES

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes look to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series against the New York Islanders on Wednesday night. The Hurricanes won 2-1 in Monday’s opener in the best-of-7 series. By Aaron Beard. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Game starts at 7 p.m.

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LOCALIZATION:

DIVERSITY BANS-STATES-LOCALIZE IT — Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Taken alone, each of those words may appear laudable — even noncontroversial. But strung together, those words have become a new flashpoint in a cultural and political battle over the role of race, gender and sexuality in American institutions. Governors and lawmakers in numerous Republican-led states have proposed restricting “diversity, equity and inclusion” initiatives at higher education institutions and, in some cases, throughout state government. We provide tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides here.

EARTH DAY-LOCALIZE IT — More than 190 countries celebrate Earth Day on April 22 each year. We offer suggestions for local coverage. Find the latest Localize It guides here.

PHILANTHROPY-VOLUNTEERISM-LOCALIZE IT — As pandemic-related government aid programs end and inflation rises, nonprofits of all kinds are looking everywhere and trying everything to get volunteers. The Associated Press has produced a series of stories set to run beginning April 17 to coincide with National Volunteer Week. We are making our first story, a Localize It guide with state data and an audio Q&A with AP reporter Thalia Beaty available early on embargo as background for your reporting. Find the latest Localize It guides here.

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VIDEO

Cloud seeding grows in US West

West Coast marijuana industry struggling amid glut

Historic submarine found in Long Island Sound

Charges focus on Jehovah’s Witnesses’ abuse cases

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AUDIO

Supreme Court poised to rule on abortion pill restrictions

Wreckage of submarine found by divers in Long Island Sound

Police: Maine man fired randomly on highway after killing 4

It’s poetry month in Montpelier

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U.S. STORIES

RALPH YARL-WRONG HOUSE — The attorney for Ralph Yarl’s family says the Black teenager was shot by a white homeowner at point-blank range in the head but miraculously survived the bullet to his skull. As the 16-year-old Yarl recovers at home, the 84-year-old white owner of the Kansas City, Missouri, home where Yarl mistakenly went to pick up his brothers faces his first court appearance Wednesday. Andrew Lester is charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He could face life in prison if convicted. Lester does not yet have a listed attorney. SENT: 810 words, photos. — With: RALPH YARL-WRONG HOUSE-STAND YOUR GROUND

TYRE NICHOLS-LAWSUIT — The family of Tyre Nichols has sued the city of Memphis and individual officers and emergency medical personnel involved in his case. Lawyers for Tyre Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, filed the lawsuit in federal court in Memphis. The suit seeks a jury trial and financial damages. The lawsuit accuses Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis of starting a crime-suppression unit called Scorpion that officials said would target repeat violent offenders in high-crime areas. The five officers charged with beating Nichols were members of the unit, police have said. The unit was disbanded after the Nichols beating. SENT: 540 words, photo.

ALABAMA SHOOTING — Alabama investigators say two teenagers have been arrested and charged with murder in connection with a shooting that killed four young people at a Sweet Sixteen birthday party. District Attorney Mike Segrest said Wednesday that the pair would be charged as adults. Saturday’s violence shocked Dadeville, a sleepy town of 3,200. Another 32 were wounded and Segrest said four people are still in critical condition. Witnesses had said multiple people began shooting some time after the birthday girl’s mother paused the celebration to ask people with guns to leave. The girl’s brother died in her arms. SENT: 540 words, photos.

FOX-DOMINION LAWSUIT-WHAT-TO-KNOW — Fox and Dominion Voting Systems have reached a $787 million settlement in the voting machine company’s defamation lawsuit. The agreement averts a trial in a case that exposed how the top-rated network chased viewers by promoting lies about the 2020 presidential election. Dominion lawyer Justin Nelson said the deal shows that truth matters and lies have consequences. Dominion had asked for $1.6 billion in arguing that Fox had damaged its reputation by helping peddle phony conspiracy theories about its equipment switching votes from former President Donald Trump to Democrat Joe Biden. SENT: 1,260 words, photos, video.

TWITTER-DEADNAMING — Twitter has quietly removed a policy against the “targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals.” The move is raising concerns that the Elon Musk-owned platform is becoming less safe for marginalized groups. Twitter enacted the policy against deadnaming, or using a transgender person’s name before they transitioned, as well as purposefully using the wrong gender for someone as a form of harassment, in 2018. TikTok and Meta both have similar policies on the books. SENT: 200 words, photo.

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