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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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
SUPREME COURT-EARLS
RALEIGH, N.C. — An ethics probe into a Black justice’s comments about diversity can move forward after a federal judge denied her request to halt the investigation. Associate Justice Anita Earls sued the state Judicial Standards Commission and its members in August. The Democrat’s lawsuit alleges that the pending probe against her has chilled her First Amendment right to speak freely Her lawyers asked for a preliminary injunction to halt the probe while her lawsuit goes to trial. But a federal judge denied the request late Tuesday. He said the state has a legitimate interest in protecting the integrity of the high court. By Gary D. Robertson and Hannah Schoenbaum. SENT: 560 words, photo.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
CHARLESTON MAYOR-SOUTH CAROLINA
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The historic South Carolina city of Charleston has elected its first Republican mayor since the Reconstruction Era. Results from the South Carolina Election Commission show William Cogswell defeated incumbent Democratic Mayor John Tecklenburg by about 2 percentage points in Tuesday’s runoff. Charleston’s municipal elections are technically nonpartisan. But Tecklenburg is a well-known figure in the state’s Democratic politics, endorsing Joe Biden in South Carolina’s pivotal 2020 presidential primary. Cogswell, who served three terms as a Republican in the state House and describes himself as a moderate, earned endorsements from others within South Carolina’s GOP political circles, including Sen Tim Scott. Charleston last elected a Republican mayor in the 1870s. By Meg Kinnard. SENT: 370 words, photo.
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VIRGINIA
COMMERCIAL SEX RING-ARRESTS
A man and woman accused of running a network of brothels with wealthy and prominent clients in Massachusetts and Virginia are due back in court. The judge is expected to hear arguments on whether Junmyung Lee and Han Lee should remain in jail while they await trial.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
MARYLAND-HATE CRIME-COMMISSION
BALTIMORE — The Maryland Attorney General this week suspended a member of the state’s new commission aimed at addressing hate crimes after she posted on social media criticizing the recent actions of Israel in Gaza.
BALTIMORE OFFICER RELEASE
BALTIMORE — A federal judge has denied a compassionate release request filed by a former Baltimore police officer convicted in 2018 as part of the department’s Gun Trace Task Force corruption scandal. Daniel Hersl was sentenced to 18 years behind bars after a jury found him guilty of racketeering and robbery. The 53-year-old ex-detective filed the request last month, saying he was recently diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer that was rapidly spreading. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III ordered Hersl on Monday to remain incarcerated due to the seriousness of his crimes. Russell says the federal Bureau of Prisons will continue to manage Hersl’s medical care. SENT: 360 words.
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LOCALIZATION
COP28–EXTREME HEAT-LOCALIZE IT: Cities across the United States and around the world are grappling with ways to protect people from extreme heat as global warming pushes temperatures higher each year. In the shadow of the United Nations COP28 climate change conference opening later this month in Dubai, much work is already being done in attempts to ease extreme heat at the ground level in U.S. communities. We describe some of these efforts, offer suggestions for local reporting and link to AP coverage plans. Find the latest Localize It guides.
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.
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.
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AUDIO
Nearly half of Americans think the US is spending too much on Ukraine aid, an AP-NORC poll says
Injured brought to hospital in Gaza Strip as Israeli strikes continue ahead of agreed truce
3 dead and 3 missing after landslide rips through remote Alaska fishing community
Thanksgiving travel rush begins with snowy weather threatening the Northeast
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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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