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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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
BIDEN-SOUTH CAROLINA
WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — President Joe Biden is in South Carolina to make the case that his economic agenda is helping keep even red states humming. Ahead of his visit, White House officials argued that if Republicans had their way, South Carolina — like many other Republican-leaning states — would have lost out on billions of dollars in investments and thousands of jobs. Biden during his Thursday visit plans to celebrate a new clean energy manufacturing partnership between solar firm Enphase Energy and manufacturer Flex Ltd. The deal is projected to create 600 jobs in the state and 1,200 more throughout the country. By Aamer Madhani and Meg Kinnard. SENT: 930 words, photos.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
UNIVERSITY-BIDEN PAPERS-LAWSUIT
DOVER, Del. — A conservative media outlet and an activist group won’t be allowed access to records related to President Joe Biden’s gift of his Senate papers to the University of Delaware. The state Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed a judge’s ruling in favor of the university. Biden had donated his senatorial papers to his alma mater in 2012, when he was vice president. The donation agreement says the records can’t be made public until two years after Biden “retires from public life.” Judicial Watch and the Daily Caller News Foundation had submitted Freedom of Information Act requests seeking access to the senatorial papers and records related to Biden’s donation. By Randall Chase. SENT: 510 words.
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SPORTS
BBA–ORIOLES-YANKEES
NEW YORK — Kyle Bradish (4-4) starts for the Baltimore Orioles and Luis Severino (1-3) for the New York Yankees in the finale of a four-game series. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos, starts 7:05 p.m.
BBN–NATIONALS-GRAY
WASHINGTON — Josiah Gray became the face of the Washington Nationals rebuild two years ago when they got him from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. It’s still an uphill climb for him and the last-place Nationals, but Gray is an All-Star for the first time — a representation of what the organization thinks is better days to come. By Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 450 words, photos by 4 p.m. EDT.
BBN–REDS-NATIONALS
WASHINGTON — Sensational rookie Elly De La Cruz and the Cincinnati Reds look to sweep their four-game series at the Washington Nationals on Thursday. De La Cruz’s bat could be the topic of the game, not just because of the powerful home runs it produces, but also because of the plastic cap on its handle that MLB deemed irrelevant to its swing. De La Cruz responded Wednesday to the Nationals’ inquiry about his bat by hitting a 455-foot homer with it. By Patrick Stevens. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game starts at 1:05 p.m. EDT.
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LOCALIZATION:
DISUNITED METHODISTS-LOCALIZE IT: More than 6,000 United Methodist congregations — a fifth of the U.S. total — have received permission to leave the denomination, according to the latest tally in a long-running schism over theology and the role of LGBTQ persons. Most of those departures, which began with a trickle in 2019, occurred this year during a just-completed round of meetings of the denomination’s regional governing bodies. Many of the departing congregations are joining the new, more conservative Global Methodist Church. We offer details on congregations that are leaving and tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
MATERNAL MORTALITY-LOCALIZE IT: The United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality among wealthy nations. A new state-by-state study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association details which racial or ethnic communities saw the highest increases in maternal mortality between 1999 and 2019, as well as states and regions of the U.S. where the rates are high. We show you how to find your state’s data and provide ideas for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
MOMS FOR LIBERTY-LOCALIZE IT: Moms for Liberty, a “parental rights” group that the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled extremist for its attacks on inclusion in schools, is looking to take over more school boards and get involved in other education races in 2024 and beyond. The effort is setting up a clash with teachers unions and others on the left who view the group as a toxic presence in public schools. We offer a look at the group’s background and various chapters and provide reporting pathways to explore. Find the latest Localize It guides.
NEW LAWS-LOCALIZE IT: New state laws take effect this month in states across the U.S. Some impose restrictions on abortion or gender-affirming treatments for minors. Others raise or lower taxes, and tighten or loosen gun laws — sometimes depending on whether the state legislature is led by Democrats or Republicans. We offer tips for covering some of the major themes in these laws. Find the latest Localize It guides.
SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-LOANS-LOCALIZE IT:The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected President Joe Biden’s plan to cancel or reduce student loan debts for millions of borrowers. Find the latest Localize It guides.
SUPREME COURT-AFFIRMATIVE ACTION-LOCALIZE IT: The conservative Supreme Court has struck down affirmative action in college admissions and appears poised to overturn Biden’s student loan forgiveness. What does that say to students of color, who have been saddled with outsize student loans and who face more difficult paths to college enrollment? We offer tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
LEFT BEHIND BARS-PELL GRANTS: Thousands more inmates will graduate with college degrees as the federal government increases Pell Grants for those behind bars. At California’s Folsom Prison, the programs are lifechanging for those who get the degrees. We share a report with state enrollment numbers and demographic data and offer tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
BROADBAND-STATES-LOCALIZE IT: The Biden distribution’s plan for sending $42.5 billion in federal grant money to the states in the push to bring broadband connectivity to every household in the U.S. includes accountability measures and gives the states a six-month window to submit plans to distribute the money. We point you to broadband and funding maps and offer suggestions for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
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VIDEO
Fire chief: 2 New Jersey firefighters died battling blaze on a ship
Biden heads to South Carolina to push economic agenda
Nauta pleads not guilty in classified documents case
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AUDIO
Father of the bride and teen who tried to save friend among 5 killed in Philadelphia shooting
United Methodists lose one-fifth of US churches in schism driven by growing defiance of LGBTQ bans
U.S. job openings dip to 9.8 million but remain high, showing resilience in labor market
Missing 2-year-old girl is found dead in Detroit, after her disappearance sparked massive search
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U.S. STORIES
GLOBAL CLIMATE EXTREMES — Scientists say global heat that inched into worrisome new territory this week is a clear example of how pollutants released by humans are warming their environment. But the unofficial records for Earth’s average temperature are just one way the planet is telling us something is gravely wrong. Warming oceans, dangerous air from runaway wildfires and shrinking Antarctic sea ice are among many other signals of climate distress. SENT: 500 words, photos.
JULY 4 VIOLENCE — A rash of shootings as the U.S. celebrated the Fourth of July is spiking fears in communities across the U.S. and highlighting the challenges police face at preventing such violence as temperatures warm and festivities move outside. Policing such events is a delicate balance for law enforcement, who must weigh the right of revelers to gather with the threat of violence that looms in public and private spaces in a country awash with guns. The gun violence that flared this week in Washington, D.C, Louisiana, Florida, Philadelphia, Texas and Baltimore left more than a dozen dead and almost 60 wounded — including children as young as 2 years old. SENT: 1,090 words, photos, video, audio.
PHILADELPHIA SHOOTING-VICTIMS — A father who was preparing to walk his eldest daughter down the aisle. An aspiring actor who appeared as an extra in the “Creed” movie franchise. A teenager who tried to help a wounded friend. These are the stories of those who were killed in what has been the deadliest among a rash of U.S. shootings that occurred around the July Fourth holiday. Philadelphia authorities say five people in a working-class neighborhood were gunned down Monday. A gunman in a ski mask and body armor appeared to fire on people at random. A suspect was arraigned Wednesday. Meanwhile, five families remain shattered as they try to cope with feelings of loss and senselessness. SENT: 850 words, photos, video, audio.
TRUMP CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS — Donald Trump’s valet, Walt Nauta, has entered a not guilty plea to charges that he helped the former president hide classified documents from federal authorities. He also hired a new Florida-based lawyer to represent him as the case moves forward. Nauta was charged alongside Trump in June in a 38-count indictment alleging the mishandling of classified documents. Nauta hired Sasha Dadan, a criminal defense attorney and former public defender whose main law office is in Fort Pierce, where the judge who would be handling the trial is based. SENT: 500 words, photos, audio.
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NEW TO STORYSHARE: SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM NETWORK
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