NBC plans 3,600 hours of television and Web coverage of this year's Olympics. That's 40 percent more broadcast time than was devoted to all previous games combined. So we can agree the events unfolding over the next 16 days in Beijing will be closely followed throughout the world.

But the Olympics are not just a source of national and international news. The games yield important local stories, as well.

Let's assume you've tracked down local Olympians. (Some newsrooms have convinced athletes to blog from the games.) What about the people at home, watching it all unfold on television and the Internet while trying to account for a 12-hour time difference between Beijing and the East Coast?

Which athletes in your community are following the games closely? Do any compete in relatively new or specialized events -- like inline skating or judo -- and look to the games for inspiration or validation? Are any aspiring Olympians living in your community? How about former Olympians?

What about immigrants? Do their native countries have medal ambitions? If so, is your community watching and cheering? As the games progress, will people in your community be connected to, or affected by, the story lines that inevitably develop? Do you know any Sudanese refugees, for example?

Of course, there are local stories about how China and its politics affect your community. Are local companies doing business in China? Are local activists focused on its human rights record? Do local people think President Bush was too hard, or not tough enough, in his criticism of China just days before the opening ceremonies?

Here are other links that may help as you write local stories about the games:

News and results
The official Web site of the Beijing Olympics is a starting place for schedules and news. NBC publishes its broadcast schedule online. The New York Times has a multi-layered, albeit complicated, interactive schedule of Olympic events, woven with results and links to coverage.

Athletes and their sports
Check out the athletes directory on the the U.S. Olympic Committee's Web site, which gives background and results for each member of Team USA. The committee compiles links to each of the U.S. Olympic governing organizations, which are good for news, explainers and lists of athletes participating in each event.