Regret the Error

In a Nov. 17 story about job cuts at Verizon Communications Inc., The Associated Press, relying on a labor union report, erroneously reported that Verizon is laying off more than 1,000 employees in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
In response to AP’s query, a Verizon spokesman on Tuesday confirmed that layoffs were occurring. On Wednesday, the spokesman said Verizon has a “surplus” of employees in the area and is giving people a chance to leave voluntarily through buyouts. The spokesman said layoffs could follow if necessary. Link

Correction: An Associated Press story on the Nation page on Oct. 23 mischaracterized a motorized chair a Minnesota man was operating while drunk. Police in Proctor, Minn., where the recliner will be auctioned, said the brand is not La-Z-Boy. Link

In an April 9 story, The Associated Press reported that Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears spoke about the importance of preventing divorces. The story noted that Sears is divorced. It should have made clear that she is now remarried. Link

In stories on Feb. 1, 7 and 8, about Jennifer Figge’s long-distance swim in the Atlantic, The Associated Press reported erroneously that she had swum across the ocean. Figge swam only a fraction of the 2,100-mile journey. The rest of the time, she rested on her crew’s westward-sailing catamaran. Her spokesman, David Higdon, told The AP on Tuesday that her total swimming distance has not been calculated yet, but that due to ocean hazards including inclement weather, he estimates she swam about 250 miles. Link

That’s the official AP correction. Here’s how it looked in a few different newspapers:

In a story on Monday, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Jennifer Figge had become the first woman to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. She swam only a fraction of the approximately 2,600-mile journey, riding the rest of the time on a catamaran. Her spokesman, David Higdon, estimates she swam about 250 miles. See related story, A29.

An Associated Press story that ran in Sunday on Page 2B incorrectly stated the distance Jennifer Figge of Aspen swam across the Atlantic. Figge swam only a fraction of the 700-mile journey. The rest of the time, she rested on her crew’s westward-sailing catamaran. Her spokesman, David Higdon, told AP on Tuesday that her total swimming distance has not been calculated but that due to ocean hazards, including inclement weather, he estimates she swam about 250 miles.

An Associated Press article Sunday about Jennifer Figge’s long-distance swim in the Atlantic incorrectly stated that she had swum across the ocean. Figge swam about 250 miles of the 2,100-mile journey. She rested on her crew’s westward-sailing catamaran the rest of the time, according to her spokesman.

An item in the Feb. 9 A-section reported that a 56-year-old from Aspen, Colo., had become the first woman to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. The source of that item, the Associated Press, said Tuesday that its report was erroneous. Jennifer Figge swam only a fraction of the 2,100-mile journey, resting the rest of the time on her crew’s westward-sailing catamaran, according to her spokesman, David Higdon. He estimated that, because of ocean hazards including inclement weather, Figge swam only about 250 miles.

An Associated Press graphic that appeared on 1C in Wednesday’s sports section incorrectly reported New Orleans Saints coach Drew Brees was the offensive rookie of the year. Drew Brees was voted the Offensive Player of the Year. The Advocate regrets the error.

Also, Brees is the quarterback, not the coach. This was published in The Advocate of Louisiana.