southern california

Hundreds of elementary school students in Southern California were supposed to be done with school on Thursday, but will have to make up 34 days or risk losing $7 million in state funds.

The schools' occasional short days - taken to allow teachers time for preparation - were five minutes too short under state law, and don't count at all, even though the time missed could be made up in one or two days.

The Obama administration hopes to more than double the funding for drug courts in next year's budget. Leading the shift in drug policy is new U.S.

Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske. He's only been on the job for a month. One of his first visits was to the Orange County Drug Court in southern California.

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A severe drought in the nation's West continues to threaten farms, fish and water supplies. The federal government has issued a directive that could cut water delivery to farmers and residents in California by 7 percent.

Tighter water restrictions are in effect in much of southern California. But some believe the state is missing out on one key conservation method already available.