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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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
UNIVERSITY-FATAL SHOOTING
RALEIGH, N.C. — Police in a North Carolina university town where a professor was fatally shot this week in a campus building quickly received information on the identity of a suspect — a graduate student — within minutes of the gunfire, according to a recording of the emergency call. The audio of the 911 call, with some portions redacted, describes the first moments after Monday’s shooting of Associate Professor Zijie Yan inside a science building within the heart of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. By Gary Robertson. UPCOMING: 500 words by 6:30 p.m., photos.
ELECTION 2024-HOUSE-NORTH CAROLINA
HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. — The only elected Republican from North Carolina’s largest county in the state legislature is running for Congress next year for a seat currently held by a Democrat who narrowly won in 2022. Rep. Erin Paré of Wake County announced on Wednesday she’ll seek to represent what is now the 13th Congressional District. It includes portions of Raleigh and fast-growing communities to the south and east. Republicans in charge of the General Assembly plan this fall to redraw congressional districts. New lines could make it harder for current Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel to win reelection. SENT: 250 words, photo.
TROPICAL WEATHER
PERRY, Fla. — Tropical Storm Idalia is heading back out to sea after leaving a trail of flooding and devastation throughout the Southeast. Idalia was a major hurricane when it roared ashore Wednesday in a remote area of Florida, shredding homes and submerging streets. It weakened to a tropical storm but still carried 60 mph winds when it reached coastal North Carolina. The storm damaged hundreds of homes in Valdosta, Georgia, and caused the fifth-highest tide ever recorded in Charleston, South Carolina. Authorities have confirmed just one storm death so far, a man hit by a tree as he tried to cut down another tree in the road in Georgia. By Terry Spencer. SENT: 850 words, photos, video, audio.
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VIRGINIA
EDUCATION-MISSED MATH
FAIRFAX, Va. — U.S. colleges are searching for solutions as they see alarming numbers of students arrive with gaps in their math skills. Colleges and experts blame pandemic learning setbacks. The pandemic disrupted all learning but caused an outsize impact in math. It’s an intensely hands-on subject that’s hard to translate to virtual classrooms. Colleges including George Mason University in Virginia are updating placement tests to identify gaps in math learning earlier. More are offering “corequisite” classes that let students brush up on the basics while taking advanced classes. It’s a persistent problem at schools like Temple University, where a class equivalent to ninth grade math has swelled from 800 students a semester to nearly 1,400. By Collin Binkley. SENT: 1,130 words, photos.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
BALTIMORE-MASS SHOOTING
BALTIMORE — Police announced two more arrests Thursday in a mass shooting at a neighborhood block party in Baltimore last month. By Lea Skene.
WRONG-WAY CRASH-GREYHOUND
SAVAGE, Md. — Police in Maryland say the driver of an SUV was killed and 18 people were injured in a wrong-way crash with a Greyhound bus. SENT: 170 words.
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LOCALIZATION
ALTERNATIVE POLICING-MENTAL HEALTH-LOCALIZE IT: The Associated Press has found that 14 of the 20 most populous U.S. cities are experimenting with removing police from certain, non-violent 911 calls and sending behavioral health clinicians. Most programs were launched or expanded in the last few years, riding a groundswell of anger over police killings and nationwide call for reforms. Initiatives in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Columbus, Ohio, and Houston had combined annual budgets topping $123 million as of June. There’s no aggregate, comprehensive data yet on the programs’ effects, and their scope and public reception vary considerably. We list out the 14 cities with links to some of the programs along with resources and ideas for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
BROADBAND-AFFORDABILITY-LOCALIZE IT: One of the programs set up to ensure affordable internet for all is set to run out by the middle of 2024. The Affordable Connectivity Program’s primary allocation of $14.2 billion is projected to run out unless Congress takes steps to renew it. That could end access to affordable broadband for the more than 20 million households that use it. It also could hinder the Biden administration’s effort to bring connectivity to the people who need it most. With the clock ticking, the White House and advocacy groups are working to push Congress to extend the program this year. We provide data on how many eligible households are participating at the state- and congressional district-level along with suggested reporting threads and other tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
ELECTIONS 2024-EDUCATION-LOCALIZE IT: School board races have become hotly divided, with intense influence from outside groups and polarizing rhetoric, as education has vaulted to center stage in national politics. And in this upcoming November general election, school board races across several key states will be on the ballot. We provide tips for backgrounding candidates and an overview of conservative and progressive groups influencing races, plus ideas for questions to ask candidates that go beyond political talking points. Find the latest Localize It guides.
UKRAINIANS-TEMPORARY-LEGAL-STATUS-LOCALIZE IT: The Biden administration announced a major expansion of temporary legal status for Ukrainians already living in the United States, granting a reprieve for those who fled Russia’s invasion. The Homeland Security Department said the move is expected to make 166,700 Ukrainians eligible for Temporary Protected Status, up from about 26,000 currently. To qualify, Ukrainians must have been in the United States by last Wednesday, two days before the announcement. The temporary status was originally scheduled to expire on Oct. 19, 2023 but is being extended 18 months to April 19, 2025. The expansion comes as the administration extends Temporary Protected Status to people from a growing number of countries as part of a carrot-and-stick approach to immigration. We offer data resources and tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
PANDEMIC AID-GOVERNMENTS-LOCALIZE-IT: Thousands of local governments across the U.S. have reported spending nothing from their share of $350 billion of federal pandemic relief funds approved two years ago. But AP interviews with local and federal officials suggest that the publicly available data is misleading — pockmarked by differing interpretations over exactly what must be reported, lagging in timeliness and failing to account for some preliminary planning. We offer tips for localizing stories about how state and local governments are using their share of the pandemic aid. Find the latest Localize It guides.
EDUCATION-CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM-LOCALIZE IT: Across the country, students have been absent at record rates since schools reopened after COVID-forced closures. More than a quarter of students missed at least 10% of the 2021-22 school year, making them chronically absent, according to data compiled by Stanford University and The Associated Press. The absences added to the time that students missed during the school closures and pandemic disruptions, and cost them crucial time in classrooms as schools worked to help them recover from massive learning setbacks. We offer data on absenteeism for 40 states and tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
MEDICAID-STATES-LOCALIZE IT: Federal Medicaid officials are expressing concerns about the way some states are handling a massive eligibility review for millions of people on the government health-care program for lower-income residents. In some cases, people dialing into state call centers with questions about Medicaid have had to wait on hold for long periods, prompting some to simply hang up. Federal officials also have raised concerns about the high rates of people dropped from Medicaid for procedural reasons, such as not returning forms needed to renew their coverage. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently sent letters to all states and the District of Columbia reminding them of various federal regulations regarding Medicaid. We link to the letters and break out lists of states contacted about call center concerns and termination concerns, along with other resources and tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
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AUDIO
Hurricane Idalia hits Florida with 125 mph winds, flooding streets, snapping trees and cutting power
Marijuana recommendation by US health agency hailed as first step to easing weed restrictions
Liberal groups seek to use the Constitution’s insurrection clause to block Trump from 2024 ballots
Travelers hoping to enjoy one last summer fling over Labor Day weekend should expect lots of company
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TOP STORIES
TROPICAL WEATHER — Tropical Storm Idalia is barreling through the Carolinas on its way to the Atlantic Ocean after leaving a trail of flooding and devastation throughout the Southeast. Idalia was a major hurricane when it roared ashore Wednesday in a remote area of Florida, shredding homes and submerging streets. It weakened to a tropical storm but still carried 60 mph winds as it reached coastal North Carolina. Idalia is expected to travel just off the North Carolina coast Thursday without losing much of its strength and gradually weaken as it rolls off into the Atlantic Ocean. SENT: 1,000 words, video, photos, audio.
GEORGIA ELECTION INVESTIGATION — Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty and waived arraignment in the case accusing him and others of illegally trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. That means he won’t have to show up for an arraignment hearing that Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee had set for next Wednesday. Trump and 18 others were charged earlier this month in a 41-count indictment that outlines an alleged scheme to subvert the will of Georgia voters who had chosen Democrat Joe Biden over the Republican incumbent in the presidential election. SENT: 500 words, photos.
SUPREME COURT-FINANCES — Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is acknowledging that he took three trips last year aboard a private plane owned by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. It’s the first time in years that Thomas has reported receiving hospitality from Crow. In a report made public Thursday, the 75-year-old justice said he was complying with new guidelines from the federal judiciary for reporting travel. The filing comes amid a heightened focus on ethics at the high court. SENT: 440 words, photos.
AI-VISUAL ARTISTS — Three visual artists are suing artificial intelligence image-generators to protect their copyright and careers — and to preserve what they say is the very essence of art: human imagination. The lawsuit may serve as an early bellwether of how hard it will be for all kinds of creators — from Hollywood actors to novelists, musicians and computer programmers — to stop developers of AI systems from profiting off their work. SENT: 1,100 words, photos, video.
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