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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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–ABORTION-NORTH CAROLINA
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina legislators begin voting on proposed abortion restrictions that would prohibit the procedures in nearly all cases after roughly the first trimester of pregnancy. Current law prohibits most abortion after 20 weeks, but Republicans have been emboldened to change the limits after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. By Gary Robertson. By Gary Robertson. UPCOMING: 700 words.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
BEASLEY SPEECH-SOUTH CAROLINA
Former United Nations World Food Program Executive Director David Beasley returns to his roots of public service, giving a speech Wednesday to the South Carolina General Assembly. Beasley spent six terms in the state House and one term as governor before moving on to national and international service. By Jeffrey Collins. UPCOMING: 500 words.
ELECTION 2024-IOWA DEMOCRATS
DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Democrats are proposing a novel way to get around their demotion from the leadoff spot on the party’s presidential nominating calendar: They would still put on the first-in-the-nation caucuses but would be open to withholding the results until after other states hold their contests. The creative approach is the latest effort by the Iowa Democratic Party to claw back the prized slot it held for nearly 50 years until chaos during the state’s 2020 presidential caucuses led the Democratic National Committee to reorder the calendar. The DNC didn’t immediately respond to a request from The Associated Press for comment. By Thomas Beaumont. SENT: 630 words, photo.
HISTORY-TEST SCORES
Test scores in history and civics have declined slightly for eighth grade students in the U.S., according to results that show an increasing number of children lack a basic understanding of either subject. The scores were released Wednesday by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. That same assessment reported in October that every single state had seen a decline in math or reading scores amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest scores, officials said, reflect more of the impact of the disruptions from the virus that shuttered schools across the country. Nearly one-third of eighth grade students, 31%, cannot describe the structure or function of government, according to the results. By Cheyanne Mumphrey. SENT: 720 words, photos.
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VIRGINIA
PRANK VIDEO
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for a northern Virginia man charged with shooting a 21-year-old who had been filming him as part of a prank video in a mall food court. By Matthew Barakat.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
MARYLAND GOVERNOR-BILL SIGNING
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — At a time when Republican-led states are restricting or banning abortion and limiting gender-affirming care, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has signed several bills to protect abortion rights and expand Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming treatment in the heavily Democratic state. One new law is designed to protect patients and providers from criminal, civil and administrative penalties relating to abortion bans or restrictions in other states. The Trans Health Equity Act expands coverage to all Medicaid recipients for whom gender-affirming treatment is medically necessary, including transgender, nonbinary, intersex, two-spirit, and other gender diverse people. By Brian Witte. SENT: 660 words, photo.
FOX-DOMINION-CARLSON
NEW YORK — Text messages that helped lead Fox News to part ways with star host Tucker Carlson included one in which he declared that Trump supporters beating a protester was “not how white men fight.” The message, reported by The New York Times, was revealed as part of a defamation case against Fox but also is among many records that remain out of public view. Media organizations are fighting to get those records unredacted. By David Bauder.
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SPORTS
BBA–ORIOLES-ROYALS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Baltimore plays Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium. By Marc Bowman. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game starts 6:40 p.m. CT.
BBN–CUBS-NATIONALS
WASHINGTON — Right-hander Jake Irvin makes his major league debut for the Washington Nationals against the high-scoring Chicago Cubs, who will start veteran Marcus Stroman. By Ben Nuckols. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game starts at 7:05 p.m.
HKN–DEVILS-HURRICANES
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils open their second-round playoff series on Wednesday night. The Hurricanes host the Devils in Game 1 after a six-game series against the New York Islanders, while the Devils advanced through a seven-game series against the New York Rangers. By Aaron Beard. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Game starts at 7 p.m. EDT.
HKN-FACEOFF
While the Kraken are in only their second season as a franchise, Yanni Gourde is one of seven Seattle players who have won Stanley Cups. After Gourde’s OT goal, the Kraken got another series-opening victory on the road, this time in Dallas. Florida also went from a Game 7 victory to two days later winning its second-round opener in Toronto. All of those games have been on the road Kraken and Panthers, who both look to take 2-0 leads in the second round before even getting back home. By Stephen Hawkins. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 5 p.m. EDT.
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LOCALIZATION:
BLACK PROTESTANTS-CHURCH ATTENDANCE-LOCALIZE IT: The wide empty spaces in pews between parishioners at a service at Zion Baptist Church in South Carolina’s capital highlights a post-pandemic reality common among many Black Protestant churches. Attendance fell 15 percentage points at such churches during COVID outbreak, according to a new Pew survey. Researchers say no other major religious group registered a decline of this magnitude. We provide tips and resources for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides here.
MEDICAID-LOCALIZE IT — The Associated Press has found that confusion and errors are leading to people being erroneously booted off Medicaid during a nationwide review of all 84 million beneficiaries’ eligibility for the government-funded program. The review, also called “redetermination” or “unwinding,” is expected to leave millions over the next year without Medicaid. We tell you which states have started removing people from the Medicaid rolls and offer tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides here.
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VIDEO
Suspected gunman in Texas mass shooting caught
Judge rejects Zephyr effort to return to Montana House
Fatal stabbings shake California college town
Less air pollution, noise for horses at Kentucky Derby
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AUDIO
Sheriff: Wife of suspected Texas gunman has been arrested
Cities say shelters full, budgets hit by immigration uptick
Writers strike looks to be a long fight, as Hollywood braces
Missy, Willie and George Michael among Rock Hall inductees
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U.S. STORIES
TEXAS MASS SHOOTING — Authorities say a woman identified as the wife of a Texas man suspected of killing five of his neighbors was arrested Wednesday for hindering the four-day manhunt for the man, who’s also in custody. Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson says 53-year-old Divimara Lamar Nava, who he identified as the wife of suspect Francisco Oropeza, was in custody in connection with the shooting although jail records do not list her as married. A four-day manhunt for Oropeza ended Tuesday when authorities said they found him in the closet of a house. Oropeza was captured without incident near the community of Conroe, north of Houston and about 20 miles from his home in the town of Cleveland where authorities say he shot his neighbors with an AR-style rifle Friday. SENT: 1,020 words, photos, video, audio.
HOLLYWOOD WRITERS STRIKE — It looks likely to be a long grind for Hollywood writers who have gone on strike to preserve pay and hang on to job security. Members of the Writers Guild of America picketed in Los Angeles and New York on Tuesday, a day after their contract expired. The first Hollywood strike in 15 years, brought on by the economic pressures of the streaming era, has already led to most late-night shows going into reruns. Some scripted productions have also pushed pause, and many more could follow if it gets stretched out. With no talks at the moment and none pending, a solution does not appear near. SENT: 940 words, photos, video, audio.
BIDEN IMMIGRATION — U.S. and Mexican officials have agreed on new immigration policies meant to deter illegal border crossings. The officials are opening up other pathways ahead of an expected increase in migrants following the end of coronavirus pandemic restrictions. A U.S. homeland security adviser spent Tuesday meeting with Mexico’s president and other top officials, emerging with a five-point plan. The U.S. and Mexico share a 2,000-mile border. But Mexico had been notably absent from last week’s rollout of fresh border control efforts, including the creation of hubs outside the United States where migrants could apply to legally settle in the U.S., Spain or Canada. The first centers will open in Guatemala and Colombia. SENT: 960 words, photos, video, audio.
MISSING TEENS-BODIES FOUND-OKLAHOMA — Law enforcement officials in Oklahoma are staying silent while they piece together what led to the killing of seven people on a rural property, including a registered sex offender. But two relatives of the victims told The Associated Press on Tuesday that they were all shot to death. Jesse McFadden, the registered sex offender, was found dead with his wife, her teenage children and two visiting teens near Henryetta, a town about 90 miles east of Oklahoma City. His mother-in-law, Janette Mayo, says he kept the family “under lock and key” and always had to know where they were. She says the family didn’t learn about his criminal history until a few months ago. SENT: 1,220 words, photos, video, audio.
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