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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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.
SOUTH CAROLINA
ALEX MURDAUGH-FINANACIAL CRIMES
BEAUFORT, S.C. — A pretrial hearing is expected Friday morning in the state financial crimes case against convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh. Among the major issues that could get hammered out is the change of venue requested by Murdaugh’s lawyers. The defense team says a “fair and impartial” jury will not be found right now in the South Carolina Lowcountry county where the trial is set to begin shortly after Thanksgiving.
ELECTION 2024-REPUBLICANS-IOWA
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Republicans battling to be the alternative to former President Donald Trump are coming together for what an influential Christian organization in Iowa is billing as a friendly conversation on politics and their world views. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will appear at the roundtable “family discussion” in Des Moines Friday, Trump is not expected to make an appearance, though he was invited. The field around Trump is winnowing with less than two months before the Iowa caucuses kick off the GOP nominating calendar. In a sign of the urgency the field faces, many of his rivals are going after each other more frequently with jabs that have often turned personal. By Hannah Fingerhut. SENT: 400 words, photos.
ELECTION 2024-DESANTIS
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Ron DeSantis has picked up 10 endorsements in South Carolina from former backers of Sen. Tim Scott’s presidential campaign. In a list shared Friday with The Associated Press before its public release, South Carolina state Reps. Bill Taylor and Tom Hartnett Jr. are now announcing their support for DeSantis. Also joining are a half-dozen municipal-level elected officials who had backed Scott before he shuttered his bid. DeSantis is hoping to shore up his strength in the first-in-the-South primary state as the 2024 GOP field continues to consolidate. His campaign tells AP he’ll return to the state Dec. 1 for a slew of events. By Meg Kinnard. SENT: 530 words, photo.
MED-FLU SEASON
NEW YORK — U.S. health officials say at least seven states are seeing high levels of the flu and that cases are rising in other parts of the country. New flu data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows flu is steadily rising. The winter flu season traditionally ramps up in December or January. But it took off in October last year and is making a November entrance now. Louisiana has very high flu activity. There is high activity in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico and South Carolina and the District of Columbia. Health officials in Puerto Rico declared an influenza epidemic earlier this month. By Mike Stobbe. SENT: 440 words, photo.
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VIRGINIA
VIRGINIA CANDIDATE LIVESTREAMED SEX
HENRICO, Va. — The Virginia Democrat whose legislative campaign was rocked by the disclosure that she had livestreamed sex acts with her husband lost this year’s race but isn’t giving up on politics. Susanna Gibson spoke with The Associated Press about her race, the videos and her plans. It was the first interview she’s granted since news outlets reported on the existence of the videos in September. Gibson she says she is the victim of a sex crime and was the target of wildly inappropriate media coverage. She says the livestreaming was never meant to be recorded. By Sarah Rankin. SENT: 1,280 words, photos, video.
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA-SHOOTING
University of Virginia officials said Friday they were further delaying the public release of the findings of an investigation into the events surrounding a 2022 campus shooting that killed three student-athletes and wounded two other students.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
BALTIMORE POLICE SHOOTING
BALTIMORE — Baltimore police will release bodycam footage of the police shooting last week that killed Hunter Jessup, 27.
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LOCALIZATION
US-MED–SYPHILIS-LOCALIZE IT: Syphilis cases in U.S. newborns again are on the rise. It has health officials calling for new measures to stop the increase, including encouraging millions of sexually active women of childbearing age and their partners to get tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 3,700 babies were born with congenital syphilis in 2022. That’s 10 times more than a decade ago and a 32% increase from 2021. We link to the CDC’s county-level data and offer tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
US-MED–CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONS-LOCALIZE IT: The proportion of U.S. kindergartners exempted from school attendance vaccination requirements has hit its highest level ever. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday released a report detailing the trends. Nationally, 3% of kindergartners got exemptions. Experts say more parents are questioning routine childhood vaccinations that they used to automatically accept. We link to info on exemption rules and vaccination rates and provide tips for local reporting. Find the latest Localize It guides.
OPIOID CRISIS-SETTLEMENTS-LOCALIZE IT: Legal settlements could provide local and state governments $50 billion to fight the deadly U.S. opioid overdose crisis. What will that look like in your community and how will the funds be distributed? We suggest resources and reporting threads for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
SOCIAL-MEDIA-CHILDREN-STATES-LOCALIZE IT: Dozens of U.S. states, including California and New York, have sued Meta Platforms Inc. alleging that they are harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis. The lawsuits claim that the social media giant deliberately designed features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms, leading to depression, anxiety and eating disorders. We list the states who are suing together, states that have filed separate lawsuits and states that are not suing, along with tips for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
SCHOOL VOUCHERS-COST-LOCALIZE IT: Some of the states letting higher-income families use taxpayer money for private school tuition are seeing more families than they expected taking them up on the offer, and they might have to scramble to shore up their budgets on the fly as a result. We name the states with these expanded programs and offer suggestions for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
ISRAEL-HAMAS-STYLE GUIDE-LOCALIZE IT: This advisory includes AP’s latest guidance related to the Israel-Hamas war, including important context and definitions. Find the latest Localize It guides.
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AUDIO
Thousands of bodies lie buried in rubble in Gaza. Families dig to retrieve them, often by hand
Biden signs temporary spending bill averting government shutdown, pushing budget fight into new year
Missouri’s voter ID law is back in court. Here’s a look at what it does
Pastoralists have raised livestock in harsh climates for millennia. What can they teach us today?
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NEW TO STORYSHARE: SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM NETWORK
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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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