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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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–REDISTRICTING-NORTH CAROLINA
RALEIGH, N.C. — Legislative redistricting committees in the North Carolina General Assembly hold public hearings Thursday to debate new maps for the state’s congressional districts starting in 2024. The proposed maps appear to threaten the reelection of at least three current Democratic U.S. House members. Senate redistricting committee leaders introduced two proposals on Wednesday that would rework the boundary lines for the state’s 14 U.S. House seats. North Carolina’s delegation is currently split between seven Democrats and seven Republicans. Approving a plan that would give GOP a solid chance to win 10 or 11 seats in North Carolina would help Capitol Hill Republicans preserve their U.S. House majority next year. By Hannah Schoenbaum. UPCOMING: 650 words by 4:30 p.m.
CAMP LEJEUNE-MARINE DEATH
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — A Marine has been killed in a homicide at Camp Lejeune and a second Marine is being held on suspicion of being involved. A statement from the North Carolina base says authorities took the Marine into custody about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday after an incident that occurred in a barracks room earlier in the evening. The statement called the death a homicide and described the other Marine as a suspect but didn’t provide any other details, including how the Marine died. SENT: 200 words, photo.
IN BRIEF:
— ELECTION 2023-MUNICIPALITIES — Fall elections in hundreds of North Carolina municipalities are picking up as early in-person voting begins for mayoral races and city council seats.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
POLICE AMBUSH-SOUTH CAROLINA
A 79-year-old South Carolina man likely faces life in prison when he is sentenced for killing two police officers and wounding five more in a 2018 ambush he set up after detectives told him they were coming to serve a search warrant on his son. Investigators say Frederick Hopkins was waiting in a second story room in his upscale Florence neighborhood when the Florence County deputies arrived. He didn’t stop shooting for 30 minutes. Hopkins pleaded guilty in an unannounced hearing last week to two counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. His attorney said prosecutors agreed to take the possibility of the death penalty off the table in exchange for the plea. By Jeffrey Collins. SENT: 490 words, photos. UPCOMING : 700 words, photo, video.
EDUCATION-TRACKING
Racial achievement gaps in math have worsened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruptions to learning. Some schools have tried to bridge those gaps through detracking, or getting rid of classes that separate students by level. The goal is to level the playing field by exposing all students to the same higher concepts and standards. Experts say studies of schools that have detracked classes show achievement gaps have been narrowed with varying levels of success. By Maura Turcotte of The Post Courier. SENT: 1,010 words, photo.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
ENT-BOOKS-JADA-PINKETT-SMITH
BALTIMORE — Will Smith joined wife Jada Pinkett Smith on stage as she promoted her new memoir in her hometown of Baltimore, pledging lifelong support for her. The appearance came just a week after she revealed that the couple had been separated since 2016. News outlets report that Smith told the crowd at the Enoch Pratt Free Library on Wednesday night that Pinkett Smith was his best friend on this planet and said he’d “show up for her and support her” for the rest of his life. Smith’s appearance was apparently a surprise for Pinkett Smith and came at the end of a talk about her book, “Worthy.” SENT: 420 words.
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LOCALIZATION
US-BIDEN-ELECTRIC-GRID-LOCALIZE IT: The Biden administration on Wednesday announced $3.5 billion for 58 projects across the country to strengthen electric grid resilience as extreme weather events fueled by climate change continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems. We list out the projects by state and offer suggested reporting threads. Find the latest Localize It guides.
FBI CRIME REPORT-LOCALIZE IT: Three-and-a-half years after the COVID-19 pandemic created turmoil that included a big spike in crime, new data released by the FBI shows that violence crime incidents have returned to pre-pandemic levels. The data provides an opportunity for local media to drill down and examine crime numbers in their area. We provide resources and suggested reporting threads. Find the latest Localize It guides.
ELECTIONS-COMBATING CONSPIRACIES-LOCALIZE IT: A grassroots pro-democracy group led by a Republican former state senator is trying to build trust in elections by hosting forums in small towns throughout Wisconsin. The Keep Our Republic group is working with local officials to organize community events meant to teach residents about the election process and combat election conspiracy theories in the swing state. But at one recent town hall in a Republican-leaning village, they faced an uphill fight as they grapple with what many have described as an almost faith-like pull of conspiracy theories being promoted through online misinformation and far-right figures. This guide explains how the fight against election denialism in Wisconsin can offer a deeper understanding of what is needed to report out this issue in your own community. Find the latest Localize It guides.
EDUCATION-TECH SPENDING-LOCALIZE IT: An infusion of federal pandemic relief to America’s schools sparked a boom in the education technology sector, an industry where research and evidence are scarce. An Associated Press analysis of public records finds that districts spent tens of millions of dollars on apps, games and tutoring websites. Schools often have little or no evidence that the programs helped students, and some were rarely used. We offer tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
ELECTIONS-MISINFORMATION-LOCALIZE IT: The 2024 election is just around the corner, and misinformation around voting and elections persist. Expertise in voting procedures and trends is crucial to both debunking online falsehoods and effectively covering elections. This guide offers tips for distinguishing fact from fiction around elections, including the measures governments are taking to safeguard voting and the realistic threats to local elections. Find the latest Localize It guides.
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AUDIO
President Biden to deliver evening address after visit to Israel
Southern California sheriff’s deputy shot and hospitalized in unknown condition
Applications for US jobless benefits fall to lowest level in more than 8 months
Most in the US see Mexico as a partner despite border problems, AP-NORC/Pearson poll shows
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