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
XGR–STATE BUDGET
RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina General Assembly is talking about whether to advance legislation that would allow up to four more casinos in the state but attaching it to language that would permit the expansion of Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of low-income adults. An effort to insert casinos in the upcoming state budget idled last week when House Republicans balked at the combination. By Gary Robertson and Hannah Schoenbaum. UPCOMING: 550 words by 5 p.m.
REPUBLICAN POWER PLAYS
RALEIGH, N.C. — In North Carolina and Wisconsin, Republicans are trying to seize power over elections and redistricting. Both states are evenly divided political battlegrounds where the GOP controls an outsized number of seats in the state legislature. In Wisconsin, that’s largely due to a gerrymander that locks in a GOP majority. The state Senate there voted to fire the state’s nonpartisan elections director last week and the Legislature is threatening to impeach a newly elected state Supreme Court justice who could undo the GOP gerrymander. In North Carolina, the legislature is expected to pass an elections bill that will take power from the state’s Democratic governor. By Nicholas Riccardi and Gary Robertson. SENT: 1,190 words, photos.
NORTH CAROLINA-ELECTION CHANGES-EXPLAINER
RALEIGH, N.C. — Republicans who control the North Carolina legislature with veto-proof majorities are close to wresting supervision of elections from the governor and the governor’s party — almost always the Democrats for over a century. A bill that could reach Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk later this week would, among other changes, take away from him and future governors the power to appoint members of the State Board of Elections. It would give that authority to legislative leaders instead. The legislation also could lead to the ouster of the top elections administrator ahead of the next presidential election in a state where former President Donald Trump squeezed out a razor-thin win over Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. By Gary D. Robertson. SENT: 1,250 words, photos.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
MISSING MARINE CORPS FIGHTER JET
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Authorities are searching near two South Carolina lakes for a military jet that apparently crashed after a Marine Corps pilot ejected over the weekend. The search for the missing F-35B Lightning II jet was focused Monday on two lakes near North Charleston. Military officials say the pilot parachuted safely into a North Charleston neighborhood Sunday afternoon. He was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition. Cpl. Christian Cortez, a Marine with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, says there was a mishap involving the jet and that the search is ongoing. He says exactly what happened is still under investigation. SENT: 210 words, photos.
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VIRGINIA
CONGRESS-WEXTON-PARKINSON’S
FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Northern Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton says she won’t seek reelection next year after learning that she has a severe form of Parkinson’s disease. Wexton is a Democrat who announced in April that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and that she planned to continue her work in Congress. On Monday, she said her diagnosis has been modified to progressive supra-nuclear palsy. She describes it as “a kind of ’Parkinson’s on steroids.” Wexton says she received the new diagnosis after feeling like she wasn’t responding well to treatment. She plans to continue serving the rest of her term representing the competitive 10th District. It runs through 2024. By Matthew Barakat. SENT: 410 words, photo.
WATCHLIST LAWSUIT
A New Jersey mayor is the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit being filed Monday by an Islamic civil rights lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the government’s terror watchlist. By Matthew Barakat. UPCOMING: 400 words.
GEORGIA ELECTION INDICTMENT-CLARK
ATLANTA — A lawyer for former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark says his client was acting within the scope of his official duties when he helped then-President Donald Trump try to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia. Lawyer Harry MacDougald made the arguments before U.S. District Judge Steve Jones on Monday as he sought to move Clark’s criminal case to federal court. The judge rejected a similar effort from Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows earlier this month. Clark, Meadows and the Republican former president have been charged alongside 16 others with participating in a wide-ranging scheme to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory. All 19 defendants have pleaded not guilty. By Kate Brumback. SENT: 710 words, photos, audio.
INSIDER Q&A-ELECTRIFY AMERICA
If Jigar Shah doesn’t do his job correctly, the company with the second-highest number of fast-charging electric vehicle plugs could lose money or EV owners could have to pay more to fill up. As director of energy services at Electrify America, Shah is in charge of navigating a wide range of rates charged by more than 200 electric utilities in areas where the company has stations. Electrify America, a subsidiary of Volkswagen formed as part of the settlement for its diesel emissions cheating scandal, has more than 3,600 fast-charging plugs in the U.S. and Canada. It’s second only to Tesla with more than 22,000 ports. Shah has to negotiate lower rates and seek government policy changes to keep charging costs in line. By Tom Krisher. SENT: 980 words, photos.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
HUNTER BIDEN-IRS
Hunter Biden has filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. He’s arguing that two agents violated his right to privacy when they publicly aired his tax information as they pressed claims that a federal investigation of Biden had been improperly handled. The lawsuit filed Monday says that his personal tax details shared during congressional hearings and interviews was not allowed by whistleblower protections. The suit comes days after Biden was indicted on federal firearms charges amid a long-running Justice Department investigation. The charges alleging that he lied about his drug use to buy and possess a gun in October 2018 could put the case on track toward a possible high-stakes trial as the 2024 election looms. By Lindsay Whitehurst. SENT: 660 words, photos, audio.
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LOCALIZATION
CENSUS-SURVEY DATA-LOCALIZE IT
For lovers of facts about life in the United States, it has been like drinking from a firehose in recent days as the U.S. Census Bureau released new, 2022 survey data on income, poverty, health insurance coverage, commuting times, education levels, disabilities and military service, among many other topics. We walk you through the data options and suggest some reporting threads. Find the latest Localize It guides.
OVERDOSE REVERSAL DAY-APPALACHIA-LOCALIZE IT
An effort to destigmatize the use of overdose reversal drugs that started as a pilot in two West Virginia counties has been expanded to all thirteen states in Appalachia this year. The first-ever “Appalachian Save a Life Day” was held Thursday as Narcan can be purchased over the counter for nonprescription use. The nasal spray was approved by federal regulators to appear on drug store shelves earlier this spring. More than 180 counties participated at more than 300 different sites. We offer resources and tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
FIREFIGHTERS-CONTAMINATED GEAR-LOCALIZE IT: Firefighters around the country are concerned that gear made with the toxic industrial compound PFAS could be one reason for cancer among their ranks. The chemical, which has been linked to an increased risk of health problems including several types of cancer, is used in protective gear to repel water and other substances when fighting a fire. AP lists states that have taken or are considering legislative action and offers tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
PLANTING-TREES-LOCALIZE IT: Hundreds of communities around the country will share more than $1 billion in federal money to help them plant and maintain trees under a federal program that is intended to reduce extreme heat, benefit health and improve access to nature. We list the total funds received by community organizations in each state and offer tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
DEMOCRACY DAY-LOCALIZE IT: More than 120 newsrooms across the United States will band together Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, to collectively report on the ways democracy works — and isn’t working — at the federal and local levels in the U.S. We provide details on the effort, dubbed U.S. Democracy Day, and tell you how to participate. Find the latest Localize It guides.
SPORTS BETTING-LOCALIZE IT: The AP provides a roadmap for localizing our coverage of state spending on problem gambling as the NFL season kicks off Thursday and Kentucky becomes the latest state to legalize sports betting. Find the latest Localize It guides.
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AUDIO
Hunter Biden sues the IRS over tax disclosures after agent testimony
A ‘person of interest’ has been detained in the killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy
9 juveniles who escaped from a detention center in Pennsylvania are in custody, police say
Hundreds of flying taxis to be made in Ohio, home of the Wright brothers and astronaut legends
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NEW TO STORYSHARE: SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM NETWORK
Looking for more state news and photos? Sign up to participate in AP StoryShare, an online platform where news organizations from a growing list of states share content.
Besides state and regional news, StoryShare offers distinctive reporting around broad topics such as climate, education and Indigenous affairs. The platform now also has a network devoted to solutions-focused journalism.
Access to StoryShare is free for AP members. For account information, contact Jennifer Lehman at jlehman@ap.org or our team at storyshare@ap.org.
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