Hello! The Carolinas News Editor is Tim Rogers. The breaking news supervisor is Skip Foreman.

A reminder this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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. Advisories and digests will keep you up to date.

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TOP STORIES:

XGR–COAL ASH COMMISSION

RALEIGH — North Carolina legislative leaders won’t try for now to cancel Gov. Pat McCrory’s veto that blocked the resumption of a commission managing the cleanup of Duke Energy’s coal ash pits. A spokeswoman for Senate leader Phil Berger confirmed the alternate direction Thursday, a day after representatives of Duke Energy — including the CEO— visited the Legislative Building to discuss coal ash and other industry issues. The nation’s largest electric utility had said it supported the legislation, which also set a timeline on agreements for Duke to get piped drinking water to people living near the pits. By Gary D. Robertson. SENT: 640 words.

XGR–STERILIZATION PROGRAM

RALEIGH — A House committee has approved a bill allowing North Carolina’s four largest counties to compensate people who were involuntarily sterilized by orders of local governments. The bill approved Thursday applies to Mecklenburg, Wake, Guilford and Forsyth counties. Rep. Paul Stam says the bill doesn’t set aside money for the compensation and allows, but doesn’t require, the four counties to establish a way to reimburse people sterilized against their will. By Martha Waggoner. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 400 words by 7 p.m.

XGR–HEMP STUDY

RALEIGH — North Carolina lawmakers are pushing a proposal to authorize the cultivation of industrial hemp with the goal of allowing researchers to begin planting next spring. The House Agriculture Committee approved a bill Thursday allowing for state land grant universities to grow hemp through pilot programs after lawmakers said they felt comfortable it would not increase marijuana manufacturing in the state. By Anna Gronewold. SENT: 350 words.

ATTORNEY COMMUNICATIONS-COURT

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s highest court ruled Thursday that Bank of America must disclose to an insurer communications it had with Countrywide Financial six months before the bank bought the mortgage lending company in 2008. The insurer, Ambac Assurance Corp., claims in a lawsuit that Countrywide illegally misrepresented its mortgage-backed securities. The Court of Appeals ruled attorney-client privilege doesn’t shield hundreds of communications between the two institutions and their lawyers from Ambac as it collects evidence for its fraud lawsuit. The court reinstated the order of a judge in Manhattan, where the fraud case is pending. By Michael Virtanen. SENT: 390 words.

FBC–NCAA-CONCUSSION LAWSUITS-GRIFFIN

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The brother of two-time Ohio State Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin is one of the plaintiffs in the latest batch of lawsuits against the NCAA filed by former college players who say they suffer the effects of concussions. Ray Griffin’s lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Illinois, names the NCAA and the Big Ten. It doesn’t name Ohio State, the school where Ray Griffin played defensive back from 1974-77 before going on to a seven-year NFL career. He is the younger brother of Archie Griffin, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1974 and 1975. SENT: 560 words. Please note N.C. angle.

IN BRIEF:

— HEALTH CARE SYSTEM-LAWSUIT, from RALEIGH — North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the state against Carolinas HealthCare System, saying it has illegally reduced competition and limited the ability of consumers to find better health care deals. SENT: 120 words.

— ASHEVILLE SHOOTING, from ASHEVILLE — Police say although a caller reported hearing 25 gunshots, they are thought to have been fireworks and are not related to the shooting death of a man at an Asheville apartment complex. SENT: 100 words.

— HAND TRANSPLANT, from DURHAM — A Texas man is the first person to get a hand transplant in North Carolina. SENT: 130 words.

— SAMUELSON-CANCER, from CHARLOTTE — A recent Republican leader in the North Carolina House says she has an advanced form of ovarian cancer. SENT: 120 words.

— ASSAULT SENTENCE, from CHARLOTTE — An Albemarle man has been sentenced to 72 years in prison for shooting at Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers and robbing poker players nearly three years ago. SENT: 120 words.

— VODKA POURED ON CHILD, from CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. — A North Carolina woman has been arrested after police say she poured vodka in a 7-year-old boy’s eyes at a hotel pool in Florida. SENT: 120 words.

— DOUBLE FATAL-HARNETT COUNTY, from DUNN — Authorities say two Harnett County teenagers have died after the car in which they were riding ran off a road at 80 mph and smashed into a tree near Erwin. SENT: 90 words.

— POLICE CHIEF RETIRING, from DUNN — City officials say that Dunn Police Chief Jimmy Pope will retire from his position this summer, although Rose says he is being forced out. SENT: 130 words.

— MISSING BOATER, from LAKE WYLIE, S.C. — Fire department officials are searching for a missing boater in Lake Wylie near the North Carolina-South Carolina state line. SENT: 130 words.

— CHILD ABUSE-POOL, from CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. — A North Carolina woman has been arrested after police say she poured vodka in a boy’s eyes at a hotel pool in Florida. SENT: 130 words.

— WAL-MART BOMB, from ASHEVILLE — A federal grand jury has indicted a man accused of detonating a pipe bomb near small propane tanks inside a Wal-Mart in the North Carolina mountains. SENT: 130 words.

— NC 12 BRIDGE, from RODANTHE — The state Department of Transportation is taking public comment on a planned new bridge on N.C. Highway 12 over Pamlico Sound. SENT: 130 words.

SPORTS:

BBC–NCAA-EAST CAROLINA-TEXAS TECH

LUBBOCK, Texas — East Carolina seeks a long-awaited breakthrough with a first trip to the College World Series. Texas Tech wants to get back two years after its maiden voyage to Omaha. The Pirates (37-21-1) lost both games in the American Athletic Conference Tournament, then turned right around and won three straight at a regional that included defending national champion Virginia. By Betsy Blaney. SENT: 560 words, AP Photos VACHA213, TXLUB108, VASH123, TXLUB107, VACHA212, TXLUB103, VASH114, TXLUB102.

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The AP, Raleigh