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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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
NUCLEAR PLANT-GATE CRASHER
SENECA, S.C. — Authorities say a driver tried to crash through the exit gates of a South Carolina nuclear plant about an hour after security asked the same car to leave when it tried to enter. Investigators say a pop-up security barrier stopped the car with an Arkansas license plate at the Oconee Nuclear Station near Seneca around 8 p.m. Thursday. Oconee County deputies say the driver also tried to hit security before driving away through a fence and shots were fired. Authorities are looking for a silver 2002 Toyota Camry with an Arkansas tag 380-VDR. Duke Energy says no one was injured at the plant, which continued to operate safely. SENT: 240 words, photos.
SOUTH CAROLINA PROTESTS
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina city is paying a $500,000 settlement to a man whose treatment by a police officer during what turned out to be a false arrest led to days of protests. An attorney for Travis Price says the city of Rock Hill defamed Price by suggesting he was the aggressor in June 2021 in a confrontation. However, a video posted to Facebook showed an officer grabbing Price by the chest and pushing him into a nearby propane tank. The officer pinned Price down and yelled at him to fight. Price says he was checking on his brother who was being arrested after a traffic stop. By Jeffrey Collins. SENT: 300 words, photos.
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VIRGINIA
ELECTION 2023-VIRGINIA-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
RICHMOND, Va. — Former Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Garrett is among four male candidates to run for state legislative seats in Virginia this year who’ve been accused of physical violence against women. Garrett has reentered politics after leaving Congress almost five years ago so he could seek treatment for alcoholism. Garrett is seeking a Virginia House of Delegates seat in statewide elections Nov. 7. Garrett’s political comeback has been marked by allegations of abuse in a bitter divorce proceeding. Garrett’s estranged wife has accused him of physical and emotional abuse. She claims he choked her while she lay in a hotel bed with their infant daughter. Garrett denies the accusations. By Sarah Rankin and Denise Lavoie. SENT: 1,240 words, photos.
ELECTION 2023-DECISION NOTES-VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON — Control of Virginia’s legislature is up for grabs in Tuesday’s off-year general election. Republicans hold a slim majority in the House of Delegates, while Democrats hold an equally narrow majority in the state Senate. All 40 state Senate seats and 100 state House seats will be on the ballot. But the balance of power will likely be determined by a handful of competitive districts in northern, central and southwest Virginia. Key races include the four state Senate districts that voted for Democrat Joe Biden for president in 2020 but then supported Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2021. Youngkin has been active on the campaign trail as speculation swirls about his political future. By Robert Yoon. SENT: 1,060 words, photo.
CAPITOL RIOT SENTENCING
WASHINGTON — A Marine Corps veteran who served as a politically appointed State Department official in former President Donald Trump’s administration has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for attacking police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Federico Klein declined to address the court on Friday before U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden sentenced him to five years and 10 months in prison. Federal prosecutors say Klein repeatedly assaulted officers, urged other rioters to join the fray and tried to stop police from shutting entrance doors during a fight for control of a tunnel entrance on the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace. By Michael Kunzelman. SENT: 770 words, photo.
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MARYLAND/DELAWARE
BOY SCOUTS-PRESIDENT
The new president of the Boy Scouts of America plans to reverse the trend of declining membership and improve safety programs as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a sexual abuse scandal. Roger Krone, a retired businessman and Eagle Scout, was named Friday as the new chief executive of the 113-year-old youth organization, replacing the retiring Roger Mosby as the top administrator. A federal judge in March upheld the $2.4 billion bankruptcy plan for the Irving, Texas-based organization, which allowed it to keep operating while compensating more than 80,000 men who filed claims saying they were sexually abused while in scouting. By Mark Thiessen. SENT: 530 words, photo.
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LOCALIZATION
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.
BALLOT INITIATIVES-LOCALIZE IT: This year marks the 125th anniversary of South Dakota becoming the first state in the nation to enact a process for citizens to initiate ballot measures — a prominent example of direct democracy in America. Today about 165 million people live in 25 states with provisions that let residents bypass the legislature to amend the constitution and enact or repeal laws. We list out the states where these provisions exist, offer resources and suggest 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.
ELECTIONS-WORKER TURNOVER-LOCALIZE IT: Local election offices across the country are seeing historic turnover, an exodus fueled by election conspiracies and threats against election workers. We highlight AP’s findings and offer resources and tips 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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VIDEO
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried convicted of fraud
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says ‘we need to do more to protect Palestinian civilians’
NY: Eric Trump Leaving Court After Testifying In Former President Trump Civil Fraud Trial
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AUDIO
Biden is bound for Maine to mourn with a community reeling from a shooting that left 18 people dead
Pressure rises on Israel to pause fighting and ease siege as battles intensify near Gaza City
Daylight saving 2023: Here’s what a sleep expert says about the time change
Vaping by high school students dropped this year, says US report
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TOP STORIES
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS —U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel to allow more humanitarian into Gaza and do more to protect Palestinian civilians from its war with Hamas, or else there will be “no partners for peace.” Israel warned that it was on high alert on its border with Lebanon as fears grew that the conflict that began with a Hamas rampage in Israel could widen. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out a temporary cease-fire in Gaza until some 240 hostages are released. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gave his first public speech since the war started, saying his group had “entered the battle,” though he stopped short of announcing full engagement in the war. By Naijib Jobain, Bassem Mroue and David Rising. SENT: 1,300 words, photos, video, audio.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-GAZA-NORTHERN-BOMBARDMENT — Weeks after ordering northern Gaza’s 1.1 million inhabitants to evacuate south, the Israeli army is intensifying its bombing of the area that stretches to the wetlands of Wadi Gaza, in the central strip. Israeli soldiers are also battling Hamas militants just north of Gaza City. It’s the start of what officials expect to be a long and bloody invasion that has already pinned down hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who remain in the north. Residents say they are trapped in hell. In the aftermath of one airstrike this week, a neonatal nurse spotted the bodies of her two young sons while dealing with the flood of dead and wounded arriving at her hospital. By Isabel Debre, Kareem Chehayeb and Wafaa Shurafa. SENT: 1,180 words, photos, videos.
CONGRESS-JOHNSON — Speaker Mike Johnson’s handling of an aid package for Israel is providing some early clues about his leadership and his willingness to force partisan confrontations with Democrats. By AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 4 p.m.
TRUMP-FRAUD-LAWSUIT — Eric Trump has testified that he was relying on accountants to ensure the accuracy of financial statements that authorities say fraudulently exaggerated his father’s wealth and assets to deceive banks and insurers. Eric Trump took the witness stand for a second day Friday in the civil case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Eric Trump was pressed about what steps he took to verify information before signing documents certifying to lender Deutsche Bank that his father’s financial statements were correct. Eric Trump insisted he would never sign something that was inaccurate. By Jennifer Peltz. SENT: 615 words, photos, audio.
MAINE SHOOTING-BIDEN — President Biden is heading to Lewiston, Maine, to mourn with the community after 18 people were killed in the deadliest mass shooting in state history. It’s a type of trip that is becoming far too familiar. By Fatima Hussein and Patrick Whittle. SENT: 770 words, photos. Developing with Friday’s visit.
ECONOMY-JOBS-REPORT — The nation’s employers slowed their hiring in October, adding a modest but still decent 150,000 jobs, a sign that the labor market may be cooling but remains resilient despite high interest rates that have made borrowing much costlier for companies and consumers. Last month’s job growth, though down sharply from a robust 297,000 gain in September, was solid enough to suggest that many companies still want to hire and that the economy remains sturdy. And job growth would have been higher in October if not for the now-settled United Auto Workers’ strikes against Detroit’s automakers. By Paul Wiseman and Anne D’Innocenzio. SENT: 1,040 words, photos.
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