A Marine drill instructor will be formally reprimanded and reduced in rank for not reporting abuse of his recruits at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. KPBS reporter Erik Anderson has details.

The principal of the heralded and embattled Preuss School on the UC San Diego campus is quitting. Doctor Doris Alvarez submitted a letter of resignation today. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce has the story.

The State Assembly has passed a landmark bill that will expand health insurance to millions of Californians. From Sacramento, Marianne Russ reports.

Childhood obesity is a growing health concern in California. The mayor of San Francisco says he wants to battle the problem by taxing major retailers of soft drinks. KPBS reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.

A San Diego water agency has taken a key step toward improving the water quality of the region's watersheds and ocean. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has details.

California's 9th Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments for and against "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, nooses found at Poway-area schools raise First Amendment issues, and the Supreme Court takes on crack cocaine sentences and mental competency in legal proceedings. These Days legal analyst Dan Eaton joins us to sort through the busy legal docket.

On Jan. 3, Iowa will once again hold the nation's first major electoral event for the nominating process for the next president. The caucus process is generally defined as a "gathering of neighbors" who vote for candidates. Since most states use the primary process, the caucus is seen by many as an important yet mysterious process.

Catholic education has been recognized in this country for its quality and affordability. To many people it's a unique source of private education that middle class people can actually afford. But Catholic schools in some big cities have been closing due to the middle class flight to the suburbs, and the difficulties many Catholic schools have had attracting families who can foot the tuition bill. We talk about one San Diego businessman's effort to make Catholic education more affordable by funding a scholarship at Blessed Sacrament School, and we ask the director of schools for the San Diego diocese how they're doing financially in the wake of San Diego's huge settlement with plaintiffs who sued over past sexual abuse by priests.

The California State Assembly passes a $14.4 billion health insurance reform plan. Health reporter Kenny Goldberg explains the complicated details, which groups support and oppose it, and when citizens may vote on it.

Governor Schwarzenegger says his $14.4 billion dollar healthcare reform plan would pay for itself. Economists point out that doesn't mean the plan would be free. KPBS reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.

California's insurance commissioner huddled with major insurance companies in San Diego today. Steve Poizner says he got them to agree on a set of minimum standards that they'll use when responding to a major tragedy like October's wildfires.