AP-IN--Indiana News Digest

Good morning. Here's a look at how AP's general news coverage is shaping up in Indiana at 12 a.m. Questions about coverage plans are welcome and should be directed to the AP-Indianapolis bureau at 317-639-5501, 800-382-1582 or indy@ap.org. Caryn Rousseau is staffing the desk. A reminder this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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. All times are Eastern.

Some TV and radio stations will receive shorter APNewsNow versions of the stories below, along with all updates.

UPCOMING:

INDIANA OFFICER FUNERAL

KOKOMO, Ind. -Two days of services are set to begin Monday for an Indiana sheriff's deputy who was fatally wounded during a gunfight while trying to arrest a man. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 250 words, more on merits. Visitation begins at 1 p.m.

NEW ON THIS DIGEST: INDIANA OFFICER FUNERAL, EXCHANGE-HELICOPTER TESTS, EXCHANGE-ROAD SIGNS, MONON GREENWAY EXPANSION, FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME-HOTEL

TOP STORY:

INDIANA-NEEDLE EXCHANGES

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana's four counties with state-approved needle exchanges have turned to nonprofits and foundations for money to run those programs nearly a year after lawmakers legalized those programs amid the state's worst HIV outbreak but barred them from receiving state funding. Fayette County, a cash-strapped eastern Indiana county, turned to two nonprofits to drum up about $23,000 for the first year of its efforts to provide clean syringes to intravenous drug users to prevent needle sharing that's caused a surge in hepatitis C cases. By Rick Callahan. SENT: 730 words.

AROUND THE STATE:

BASKETBALL TEAM-BUS CRASH

GRIFFITH - Calls for seatbelts on Indiana's school buses are growing after a bus carrying a school basketball team overturned in a crash on Interstate 65. The Griffith team was traveling to a state tournament game March 19 when police say the bus was sideswiped by a car and rolled over into a ditch near DeMotte. An assistant coach was hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening, while the other 26 players and staff members on the bus were treated and released. SENT: 330 words.

ALSO:

FANTASY SPORTS-STATE FEES

Smaller companies in the exploding fantasy sports industry say they could be shut out of doing business in some states by legislation that is actually intended to recognize the games' legality. On Friday, Indiana's governor signed a bill allowing the state's gambling commission to regulate fantasy sports and charging companies a one-time licensing fee of $50,000 with a $5,000 annual renewal fee. Other states are considering legislation along the same lines. By Geoff Mulvihill. SENT: 960 words.

IN BRIEF:

MONON GREENWAY EXPANSION

INDIANAPOLIS- The city of Carmel is planning to widen the Monon Greenway through its downtown in an effort to keep the trail from being overcrowded by new businesses in the area. SENT: 120 words.

FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME-HOTEL

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -A developer has announced plans to build a bigger Marriott hotel than originally planned next to the site of the former College Football Hall of Fame. SENT. 130 words.

INDIANA OFFICER FUNERAL

KOKOMO, Ind. - Two days of services are set to begin for Howard County Deputy Carl Koontz, 27, who was fatally wounded during a gunfight while trying to arrest a man. Organizers expecting hundreds of police officers in attendance. SENT: 130 words.

ANDERSON-WORKERS LAWSUIT

INDIANAPOLIS - Some former Anderson city workers who won a federal lawsuit after they were fired when a new mayor took office want their old jobs back. A U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana jury ruled last week that the city should pay $740,000 in damages to eight of the 11 fired workers. Four plaintiffs who still live in Anderson are asking the court to either reinstate them or approve an additional monetary settlement. SENT: 130 words.

TRAFFIC FATALITY-TWO DEAD

INDIANAPOLIS - A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an early-morning crash that killed two people and injured the driver and two others. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department on Saturday charged Luis Amador Aguilar with two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death and one count of the same charge while causing serious bodily injury. SENT: 130 words.

EXCHANGES:

EXCHANGE-HELICOPTER TESTS

The lake-effect snow and nasty winter weather common in Michiana are helping an international helicopter manufacturer test a new system. Since December, a team from AgustaWestland, an Italian helicopter maker, has had a crew of around a dozen people at the Elkhart Municipal Airport to test a new ice-protection system for the company's AW189 model. By Sam Householder, Elkhart Truth. UPCOMING: 620 words, photos

EXCHANGE-ROAD SIGNS

Tippecanoe County officials are asking for the public's help after dozens of road signs have gone missing. The county highway department's executive director said the county replaced 67 missing signs for $4,556 last year. By Matthew Kent, (Lafayette) Journal & Courier. UPCOMING: 395 words.

SPORTS:

BKC--NCAA-NOTRE DAME-NORTH CAROLINA

PHILADELPHIA - Top-seeded North Carolina looked to add its record 18 Final Four appearances while sixth-seeded Notre Dame looked for its first since 1978 when they met in the East Regional final. By Basketball Writer Jim O'Connell. SENT: 700 words, photos.

BKN--ROCKETS-PACERS

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Pacers try to continue their late-season playoff push when Houston visits Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday. The Pacers have won two straight. Houston is trying to stay in the Western Conference playoff chase. SENT: 650 words, photos.

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If you have stories of regional or statewide interest, please email them to indy@ap.orgap.org. If you have photos of regional or statewide interest, please send them to the AP state photo center in New York, 888-273-6867. For access to AP Exchange and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.

MARKETPLACE: Calling your attention to the Marketplace in AP Exchange, where you can find member-contributed content from Indiana and other states. The Marketplace is accessible /on the left navigational pane of the AP Exchange home page, near the bottom. For both national and state, you can click "All" or search.