Hello! The Carolinas News Editor is Tim Rogers. The breaking news supervisor is Jack Jones.

A reminder this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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:

VOTER ID-NORTH CAROLINA

RALEIGH — A divided U.S. Supreme Court refused Wednesday to reinstate North Carolina’s voter identification requirement and keep just 10 days of early in-person voting. The decision — a victory for voting rights groups and President Barack Obama’s Justice Department — means voters won’t have to show one of several qualifying photo IDs when casting ballots in the presidential battleground state. Early voting also reverts to 17 days, to begin Oct. 20. By Gary D. Robertson. SENT: 790 words.

DOUBLE MURDER-INVESTIGATIVE MISCONDUCT

DURHAM — A North Carolina man was freed from jail Wednesday after a judge tossed his conviction in a double-murder case tried 21 years ago by the prosecutor who was later disbarred for lying and misconduct in the Duke University lacrosse rape case. The judge threw out the convictions and ordered Darryl Howard’s release because of DNA evidence unavailable at Howard’s 1995 murder trial. By Emery P. Dalesio. SENT: 810 words, AP Photos NCDUS201, NCDUS202, NCDUS203.

With:

DOUBLE MURDER-INVESTIGATIVE MISCONDUCT-THE LATEST.

TROPICAL WEATHER

RODANTHE — North Carolina’s Outer Banks will likely be drenched as a tropical weather system blows by with up to 5 inches of heavy rain. But the depression had yet to reach tropical storm strength as it curved out to sea Wednesday. Elsewhere, a powerful hurricane threatened to pass “dangerously close” to Hawaii, and a tropical storm warning was issued for parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast because of a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico. By Ben Finley and Jonathan Drew. SENT: 860 words, AP Photos NCBF105, NCJAC102, NCJAC101, NCJAC103, NCBF104, FLWL103.

With:

— TROPICAL WEATHER-THE LATEST.

SUPERFUND SUBDIVISION-REPORT

ASHEVILLE — There’s been progress in investigating and cleaning up an Asheville Superfund site since 2012, but the speed of the work and investigations could be improved, a new report says. The report issued Wednesday by the Office of the Inspector General said some of the investigations into the CTS of Asheville Superfund site were delayed as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regional office worked to gain access to private property. SENT: 460 words.

SMALLBIZ-SMALL TALK-HIRING BLUES

NEW YORK — Small businesses that can’t find the right people to fill their job openings may be suffering from a Great Recession hangover. Their futile searches may partly reflect a healthier economy — more people have jobs, reducing the pool of applicants and the success rate of broad strategies like online job postings. For some, the challenge is finding staff with very specific technology skills. Changes in the workforce can also make it difficult, especially among younger people who may prefer big cities and have different work goals. Nearly a fifth of small business owners surveyed by American Express this spring said finding the right staff is their biggest challenge while expanding their companies. By Business Writer Joyce M. Rosenberg. SENT: 900 words, AP Photos MACK301, MACK302, MACK303, MACK304.

IN BRIEF:

— LGBT RIGHTS-NORTH CAROLINA, from RALEIGH — Texas and a dozen other states are asking a federal judge in North Carolina to side with Republican leaders defending a law governing transgender restroom access. SENT: 130 words.

— SCAM-SENIORS TARGETED, from LINCOLNTON — The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department is warning seniors about a telephone scam in which callers claim to be a child or grandchild who has been arrested out of state and need cash to get out of jail. SENT: 130 words.

— COAL ASH-DRINKING WATER, from RALEIGH — North Carolina environmental regulators say Duke Energy will pay for new water lines or filtration systems for 1,000 households near coal ash storage pits. SENT: 120 words.

— TAX EVASION-GUILTY PLEA, from WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors say a North Carolina man has pleaded guilty to income tax evasion as well as possession of an unregistered firearm. SENT: 130 words.

— HEPATITIS-SMOOTHIES, from MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A hepatitis A outbreak linked to Egyptian strawberries has grown to more than 50 cases in four states. SENT: 120 words. Please note N.C. angle.

— CONSTRUCTION WORKER DEATH, from HICKORY — Crews have found the body of a construction worker who fell off a bridge and never resurfaced from Lake Hickory. SENT: 110 words.

SPORTS:

FBC–T25-APPALACHIAN STATE-TENNESSEE

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee and Appalachian State open the season Thursday attempting to build on the momentum each team established late last year. The ninth-ranked Volunteers open the year with their highest Top 25 position since October 2006 after winning its final six games last season. Defending national champion Alabama and San Diego State are the only Football Bowl Subdivision teams with longer active winning streaks. By Sports Writer Steve Megargee. SENT: 700 words, AP Photo NY176.

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The AP, Raleigh