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.
For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.
This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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
NORTH CAROLINA-GOVERNOR
RALEIGH. N.C. — Attorneys for Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican lawmakers are expected in court Thursday to argue over a Cooper demand that a three-judge panel block a law from taking effect that shifts who appoints State Board of Elections members from the governor to legislative leaders. Previous attempts by the GOP-controlled General Assembly to alter the board’s makeup have been struck down by state courts. By Gary Robertson. UPCOMING: 550 words by 3 p.m.
MEDICAID EXPANSION-NORTH CAROLINA
RALEIGH, N.C. — A decade after the federal government began offering expanded Medicaid coverage in states that opted to accept it, hundreds of thousands of adults in North Carolina are set to receive benefits, a development that boosters say will aid hospitals and local economies in addition to the long-term uninsured. More than 600,000 North Carolinians are ultimately expected to qualify, with roughly half to be automatically enrolled as of Friday. By Gary Robertson and Hannah Schoenbaum. SENT: 900 words.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
SERIAL KILLER-GUNS
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A sporting goods chain is paying the families of three people shot to death by a South Carolina serial killer $2.5 million after the store sold guns to a straw buyer for the killer. The lawsuit says Todd Kohlhepp at times stood near the buyer, picking out guns at Academy Sports Outdoors to be purchased. The estates of the victims will split the settlement. Kohlhepp pleaded guilty in 2017 to killing seven people — three on his property on Spartanburg County and four others about 12 years earlier at a motorcycle shop. By Jeffrey Collins. SENT: 490 words, photo.
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VIRGINIA
MISSISSIPPI-PRETRIAL DETENTION
JACKSON, Miss. — Most people in Mississippi’s county jails have been held at least three months without formal charges while waiting to go on trial. A survey released Thursday shows some wait longer because two-thirds of counties have grand juries that meet only two or three times a year to consider indictments. University of Mississippi Law School students and staff collected the data. They issued public records requests and called district attorneys and court clerks. The center’s director says Mississippi should join most other states in limiting how long prosecutors can delay seeking indictments. He says “geographic misfortune” can cause longer pretrial detentions. By Emily Wagster Pettus. SENT: 870 words, photo.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
FBI HEADQUARTERS
WASHINGTON — A federal watchdog will investigate how the Biden administration chose a site for a new FBI headquarters following a contentious competition marked by allegations of conflict of interest. Virginia political leaders said Thursday that the Inspector General for the General Services Administration is probing the decision to locate the facility in Greenbelt, Maryland, over a site in Virginia. It would replace the FBI’s crumbling headquarters in nearby Washington, D.C. Virginia leaders called on the GSA to pause doing anything related to relocation until the review is complete. The agency has denied any conflict and says it chose Greenbelt because it was the cheapest option. By Lindsay Whitehurst. SENT: 340 words, photo.
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LOCALIZATION
HOMELESSNESS-ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS-LOCALIZE IT: More cities across the U.S. are cracking down on homeless tent encampments that have grown more visible and become unsafe. Records obtained by The Associated Press show attempts to clear or to mitigate encampments increased in cities from Los Angeles to New York as public pressure grew on officials. Homeless people and their advocates say encampment sweeps are cruel and costly, and there aren’t enough shelter beds or treatment for everyone. But government officials say it’s unacceptable to let encampments fester. We offer tips for localizing the story including how to request data on the number of sweeps. Find the latest Localize It guides.
EDUCATION-UNAPPROVED SCHOOLS-LOCALIZE IT: The Associated Press on Monday published a story exploring a category of off-the-grid schooling that has gained popularity in Louisiana: Schools that are allowed to operate without state approval as long as they don’t accept public funding. There are laws in many other states that allow anyone to educate children from multiple families with similarly lax oversight. The arrangements raise questions about what kind of education kids are getting — and whether they’re getting one at all. We list the states with these laws and offer ideas for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides.
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.
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AUDIO
Global leaders pay tribute to Henry Kissinger, but his record also draws criticism
Vegan activists protest food policies on first day of COP28 in Dubai
Iowa Lottery posted wrong Powerball numbers — but temporary ‘winners’ get to keep the money
Shane MacGowan, lead singer of The Pogues and a laureate of booze and beauty, dies at age 65
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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.
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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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