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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NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH CAROLINA-GOVERNOR
RALEIGH, N.C. — A commission created by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper releases recommendations on Monday on how to alter the governance structure for public higher education in North Carolina, which has been increasingly controlled by Republicans. Later Monday, state Senate Republicans will unveil legislation that is likely to weaken Cooper’s power over the State Board of Elections. By Gary Robertson. UPCOMING: 700 words by 4 p.m.
SUPREME COURT-CONFEDERATE VETERANS LICENSE PLATE
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court says it won’t review North Carolina’s decision to stop issuing specialty license plates with the Confederate flag. The court did not comment Monday in declining to hear the case. The dispute stems from North Carolina’s 2021 decision to stop issuing specialty license plates bearing the insignia of the North Carolina chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. North Carolina says the plates “have the potential to offend those who view them.” The chapter says the state’s decision violated state and federal law. The Supreme Court ruled in 2015 in a similar case that Texas could limit the content of license plates because they’re state property. By Jessica Gresko. SENT: 300 words, photos.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
ELECTION 2024-SCOTT
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Sen. Tim Scott is rolling out endorsements from more than 140 current and former elected officials from his home state of South Carolina. It’s an effort to make a show of force in the first-in-the-South presidential primary state. It comes as Scott and other presidential contenders aim to carry on with their campaigns while much of the political world parses the indictment of Republican front-runner Donald Trump on dozens of federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. The list of Scott supporters was shared with The Associated Press ahead of an official announcement Monday. Scott is among the candidates who’ve joined Trump in criticizing the indictment against him. By Meg Kinnard. SENT: 610 words, photos.
IN BRIEF:
— DEPUTY SHOOTING-SOUTH CAROLINA — Authorities say about a half-dozen deputies shot and killed a man who fired at them multiple times during a standoff at a South Carolina home.
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VIRGINIA
SCHOOL SHOOTING-NEWPORT NEWS
The mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher in Virginia is expected to plead guilty in federal court to using marijuana while possessing a firearm. Doing so is illegal under U.S. law. Deja Taylor is accused of lying about her marijuana use on a form when she bought the gun. Her son later used the weapon to shoot first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner, who was seriously wounded. Taylor is expected to plead guilty Monday afternoon. The case is separate from a child neglect case Taylor still faces on the state level. The shooting occurred in January in the city of Newport News. By Ben Finley. SENT: 550 words, photo.
CAPITOL RIOT-GUILTY PLEAS
Two active-duty Marines who joined the pro-Trump mob in storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, are expected to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge. Dodge Dale Hellonen and Joshua Abate were arrested in January along with a third Marine, who pleaded guilty last month. Also on Monday, a man who was seen on camera attacking officers with a stick is expected to plead guilty in the riot. Jonathan Mellis of Virginia has been behind bars since his February 2021 arrest. By Michael Kunzelman.
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LOCALIZATION:
PRIDE-TRANSGENDER-LOCALIZE IT: As LGBTQ+ communities and their allies hold Pride events this month, transgender people especially are in the spotlight. A driving force for attention for a minority group within a minority group is a bevy of state laws across the U.S. on treatment of transgender people. In some states, there are bans on gender-affirming medical care for minors, restrictions on which bathrooms they can use and whether they can play on girls and women’s sports teams. In other states, there’s been a move to protect some rights for transgender people. We offer ideas for local coverage. Find the latest Localize It guides.
DECRIMINALIZING FENTANYL TEST STRIPS-LOCALIZE IT: A growing number of states are decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips, seeking to protect people who use drugs from unwitting exposure to the highly potent synthetic opioid ravaging the U.S. with overdose deaths. We provide a look at these states and offer tips for localization. Find the latest Localize It guides.
VOTING RIGHTS ACT-LOCALIZE IT: This month marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Shelby v. Holder, which dismantled a key provision of the Voting Rights Act requiring certain jurisdictions to submit voting-related changes for federal review. We provide tips and resources for localizing the story, plus an audio Q&A. Find the latest Localize It guides.
WITH: Audio Localize It: Q&A with AP writer Christina A. Cassidy
ELIMINATING RAILROAD CROSSINGS-LOCALIZE IT: The Biden administration is handing out more than $570 million in grants to help eliminate railroad crossings in 32 states just as the industry is increasingly relying on longer and longer trains to cut costs. We point you to the list of projects and offer local reporting suggestions. Find the latest Localize It guides.
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VIDEO
Trump leaves NJ home for Miami to face indictment
Long commutes in Philadelphia due to I-95 collapse
Medgar Evers’ legacy, 60 years after his murder
Schumer says send Canada more firefighting help
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AUDIO
Biden to undergo root canal, will miss collegiate athletics event at White House
Trump and his allies escalate attacks on criminal case as history-making court appearance approaches
JPMorgan Chase reaches tentative settlement with victims of Jeffrey Epstein
Long commutes start after part of I-95 collapses in Philadelphia following tanker truck fire
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U.S. STORIES
I-95 COLLAPSE — Drivers have started longer commutes after an elevated section of Interstate 95 collapsed in Philadelphia following damage caused by a tanker truck carrying flammable cargo catching fire. Sunday’s blaze closed a heavily traveled segment of the East Coast’s main north-south highway indefinitely. Newscasts warned of traffic nightmares Monday and gave advice on detours, urging drivers to take more time to travel. Officials said the tanker was carrying a petroleum product, possibly hundreds of gallons of gasoline. A massive concrete slab fell from I-95 onto the road below. There were no reports of injuries. SENT: 610 words, photos, video, audio.
TRUMP-CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS — Donald Trump is traveling to Florida ahead of a history-making federal court appearance Tuesday on dozens of felony charges accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents and thwarting the Justice Department’s efforts to get the records back. Trump’s appearance in Miami will mark his second time since April facing a judge on criminal charges. But unlike a New York case some legal analysts derided as relatively trivial, the Justice Department’s first prosecution of a former president concerns conduct that prosecutors say jeopardized national security, with Espionage Act charges carrying the prospect of a significant prison sentence. SENT: 1,000 words, photos, video, audio.
PANDEMIC AID-GREAT GRIFT — An Associated Press analysis found that fraudsters potentially stole more than $280 billion in COVID-19 relief funding; another $123 billion was wasted or misspent. Combined, the loss represents 10% of the $4.2 trillion the U.S. government has disbursed in COVID relief aid. Fraudsters used Social Security numbers of dead people to get unemployment checks. Cheaters collected benefits in multiple states. And federal loan applicants weren’t cross-checked against a Treasury Department database that would have raised red flags about sketchy borrowers. All of it led to the greatest grift in U.S. history. SENT: 2,200 words, photos, video, audio.
CIVIL RIGHTS-MEDGAR EVERS — It’s been 60 years since civil rights leader Medgar Evers was murdered outside his Mississippi home. His widow, Myrlie Evers-Williams, is 90 years old. She says he misses him terribly and is proud of his legacy. Several events have been held in Mississippi this month to commemorate the work of the Evers family. Evers was leader of the Mississippi NAACP from 1954 until his death in 1963. He pushed for voting rights and racial equality. Evers-Williams was national chairperson of the NAACP from 1995 to 1998. She says she remains committed to trying to eliminate racism and prejudice. SENT: 930 words, photos, video.
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