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.
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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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
XGR–BLUE CROSS-NORTH CAROLINA RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s leading health insurer would be able to reorganize corporately through a method that the nonprofit company’s leaders said would keep it competitive with for-profit rivals and more nimble in legislation the state House approved on Thursday. The measure, which would allow Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and a dental insurance provider to complete a restructuring through creating parent holding companies, passed with bipartisan support despite strong criticism from state Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey. By Gary Robertson. UPCOMING: 450 words by 3 p.m.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
XGR—ABORTION-SOUTH CAROLINA
A near-total abortion ban is expected to be defeated Thursday in the South Carolina Senate after the majority leader failed to end debate three times Wednesday as Republican opponents blocked the proposal.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
XGR—GUN CONTROL-MARYLAND GOVERNOR
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Thursday he plans to sign gun-control measures approved by lawmakers in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last year that ended a requirement for people to demonstrate a particular need to get a license to carry a concealed gun in public. By Brian Witte.
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SPORTS
BBA–ORIOLES-TIGERS
Baltimore plays Detroit at Comerica Park. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos.
BBN–NATIONALS-METS
Washington plays New York at Citi Field. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos.
BBO–OBIT-GROAT
PITTSBURGH — Dick Groat, a two-sport star who went from All-American guard in basketball to a brief stint in the NBA to ultimately an All-Star shortstop and the 1960 National League MVP while playing baseball for his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates, has died. He was 92. Groat’s family said in a statement that he died Thursday at UMPC Presbyterian Hospital due to complications from a stroke. By Will Graves. SENT: UPDATES UPCOMING.
HKN–FACEOFF
Friday is the first big elimination day in this year’s NHL playoffs, with Game 6s happening in four different series. There are a couple of second chances in the East, with the Carolina Hurricanes looking to advance past the New York Islanders and the top-seeded Boston Bruins trying to put away the Florida Panthers. Out West, the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche are playing to stay in it, down 3-2 to the Seattle Kraken, while the Dallas Stars try to finish off the Minnesota Wild on the road. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 6 p.m. EDT.
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LOCALIZATION:
TREE PLANTINGS-LOCALIZE IT — The federal government is funding tree-planting and tree-care projects in a huge way. President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act makes a historic $1.5 billion investment in urban forestry, prioritizing projects that benefit underserved communities. That’s in addition to funding included for tree projects in Biden’s infrastructure law and the COVID-19 relief legislation known as the American Rescue Plan. Tree advocates see this massive investment as a game-changer for urban communities that suffer from dirtier air, dangerously high temperatures and other challenges because they lack a leafy canopy. We offer suggestions and resources for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides here.
LEARNING TO READ-LOCALIZE IT — Third-graders across the country face a looming crisis. The majority will move onto fourth grade next year and will be expected to read well, even though many haven’t received adequate instruction because of the pandemic-fueled school interruptions and a reliance in some places on ineffective teaching methods. The latest data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress — which tested hundreds of thousands of fourth and eighth graders across the country this year — reflected historic learning setbacks. We provide tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides here.
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VIDEO
GOP’s debt limit bill seen as segue to Biden negotiations
Montana lawmaker vows to fight on
Yoon hails close US-Korea security, economic ties
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AUDIO
Guardsman spoke of ‘murder,’ may still possess secrets: US
US economy grew at weak 1.1% rate in Q1 in sign of slowdown
Powerful new obesity drug poised to upend weight loss care
Florida Gov. DeSantis says Disney lawsuit is political
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U.S. STORIES
LEAKED DOCUMENTS-INVESTIGATION – Prosecutors say the Massachusetts Air National guardsman accused of leaking highly classified military documents kept an arsenal of weapons, talked of “violence and murder” on a social media platform and an “assassination van.” They filed court papers before Thursday’s detention hearing for 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, and urged a federal judge to keep him jailed. The filings raise new questions about why Teixeira had such a high security clearance and access to some of the nation’s most classified secrets. SENT: 1,140 words, photos. Developing.
SILENCED TRANSGENDER LAWMAKER-RHETORIC — So common is “blood on your hands” heard in American politics that it seldom provokes a reaction, let alone punishment. That was until transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr used it to scold Montana Republicans. UPCOMING: 900 words by 3 p.m., photos.
XGR-TRANSGENDER HEALTH-KANSAS — Republican legislators in Kansas have enacted possibly the most sweeping transgender bathroom law in the U.S. The GOP-controlled Legislature on Thursday overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of the measure. At least eight other states have transgender bathroom laws, mostly applying to schools. The Kansas law is different because it applies to more facilities but also because it defines male and female in law based on a person’s reproductive anatomy at birth. SENT: 500 words, photos. Developing.
MED-WEIGHT LOSS DRUG — A diabetes drug being tested for weight loss is poised to further upend obesity care. Drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co. reported Thursday that its drug tirzepatide helped people with diabetes who were overweight or had obesity lose up to 16% of their body weight over 17 months in a late-stage trial. For those without the disease, the drug has prompted losses of more than 20% of body weight. SENT: 1,150 words, photo.
OBIT-JERRY SPRINGER — Jerry Springer, the former Cincinnati mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show unleashed strippers, homewreckers and skinheads to brawl and spew obscenities on weekday afternoons, has died. He was 79. A family spokesperson says he died Thursday at home in suburban Chicago. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
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