Students and graduates from several Southland campuses talk of their loans and how paying them off figures into their plans. For some, the path seems secure; for others, uncertainty is the only certainty.br/br/College graduation is typically a time to tally accomplishments and to look ahead. But for many graduates, it is also a time to tally student loans and figure out how to repay them. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/cQxNwSMl3KDQmx8sWd6_omo7dKE/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/cQxNwSMl3KDQmx8sWd6_omo7dKE/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/cQxNwSMl3KDQmx8sWd6_omo7dKE/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/cQxNwSMl3KDQmx8sWd6_omo7dKE/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/a0nGIMpWjQ8" height="1" width="1"/

Services for older adults and their families can be found through the federal government's Eldercare Locator. Also consider hiring a geriatric care manager, who can conduct an evaluation, review options and make recommendations.br/br/Dear Liz: Our mother just turned 64, and our father is divorcing her. She hasn't worked in years because of significant physical and mental health issues. My sister and I have been trying to figure out how she's going to survive on $750 a month, which is the equivalent of half his Social Security. She has always had serious issues with money management, which is why there are no retirement savings or a house. We are now about to embark on the maze of social service benefits that an older woman below the poverty line can receive, partly so we can decide whether she's better off staying put where she is in Arkansas, moving to my sister's in Texas, moving to be near me in Maryland, or moving to her childhood home of Chicago, where most of her friends are. For a lot of complicated reasons (mostly related to the mental health issues), we are trying to avoid having her live with either of us full time, and she expresses no desire to do so. So we have to figure out the ins and outs of Medicaid, food stamps, subsidized senior housing and anything else in four different states and then try to explain it to her. If you have any hints about helping an indigent and somewhat incapacitated mother access services, we would love to hear them. We feel a little overwhelmed at the moment and aren't even sure whom to call in each place. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/3n_BBeCl8zlLlIjoVxOltqaK7aA/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/3n_BBeCl8zlLlIjoVxOltqaK7aA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/3n_BBeCl8zlLlIjoVxOltqaK7aA/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/3n_BBeCl8zlLlIjoVxOltqaK7aA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/ti8M3fhz964" height="1" width="1"/

Prop. 28 would allow legislators to serve 12 years in one house, rather than 14 between the Assembly and Senate. Backers say the move would give lawmakers more experience.br/br/SACRAMENTO mdash; Twenty-two years after California became one of the first states to limit legislators' terms in office, voters are about to decide whether the rules should be changed. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/lwaXr6AObZ-UUTYsYKST9pztJ48/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/lwaXr6AObZ-UUTYsYKST9pztJ48/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/lwaXr6AObZ-UUTYsYKST9pztJ48/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/lwaXr6AObZ-UUTYsYKST9pztJ48/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/lVLd1J-gsJI" height="1" width="1"/

Children born to Latino, Asian, African American and mixed-race parents now constitute a majority of all births, the Census Bureau reports.br/br/The United States has reached a historic tipping point, with children born to Latino, Asian, African American and mixed-race parents now constituting a majority of all births, the Census Bureau reported Thursday. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/nR3Wgb3zYIJXxipt_ArmPGnVh-4/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/nR3Wgb3zYIJXxipt_ArmPGnVh-4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/nR3Wgb3zYIJXxipt_ArmPGnVh-4/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/nR3Wgb3zYIJXxipt_ArmPGnVh-4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/zfcMN5sTXho" height="1" width="1"/

The legislation would bar the Central Basin Municipal Water District from storing groundwater in southeast Los Angeles County, leaving that job to another agency.br/br/SACRAMENTO mdash; A Southern California water war spilled onto the floor of the state Senate on Thursday over a bill intended to end a feud between two agencies over the authority to store groundwater in southeast Los Angeles County. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/wqncbrkdXDR8WpHKqibAzvq_Yf4/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/wqncbrkdXDR8WpHKqibAzvq_Yf4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/wqncbrkdXDR8WpHKqibAzvq_Yf4/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/wqncbrkdXDR8WpHKqibAzvq_Yf4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/MZMUr4XeCZk" height="1" width="1"/

The governor's policies have been mostly solid, but he hasn't exercised his full political muscle to get state finances in order.br/br/Gov. Jerry Brown is testy. He's defensive. He's very frustrated. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/_OmckyF1ehZDhw0_MwqEkkTgoTs/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/_OmckyF1ehZDhw0_MwqEkkTgoTs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/_OmckyF1ehZDhw0_MwqEkkTgoTs/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/_OmckyF1ehZDhw0_MwqEkkTgoTs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/ojm7SiGW-Nk" height="1" width="1"/

They pledge to lobby hard to avoid the increase. The regents also approve the hiring of a new chancellor for UC San Diego at an annual salary of $411,084.br/br/University of California regents Wednesday discussed the possibility of a 6% tuition increase for next fall but pledged that they would lobby hard to avoid such a $732-per-student hike. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Itw2555jwj7IOomEeyQUtqDmnxU/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Itw2555jwj7IOomEeyQUtqDmnxU/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Itw2555jwj7IOomEeyQUtqDmnxU/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Itw2555jwj7IOomEeyQUtqDmnxU/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/wdekuzx_8FI" height="1" width="1"/

California's governor is stuck between Republicans who refuse tax hikes, Democrats who resist cuts and a tangle of special interests and voter-mandated requirements on where money can be spent.br/br/SACRAMENTO mdash; Jerry Brown told voters he was different mdash; that only he, a septuagenarian government veteran with no aspirations to higher office, could fix the cycle of swelling budget deficits that has plagued California for more than a decade. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fw981c5CmqRShz5YvcOj9IVBSl8/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fw981c5CmqRShz5YvcOj9IVBSl8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fw981c5CmqRShz5YvcOj9IVBSl8/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fw981c5CmqRShz5YvcOj9IVBSl8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/KBAhiicFdeA" height="1" width="1"/

Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal for closing California's $16-billion funding gap includes 4-day state workweeks and Medi-Cal cuts. He warns that cuts will be even more severe if voters reject tax hikes on the November ballot.br/br/SACRAMENTO mdash; Gov. Jerry Brown released a plan to close California's rapidly growing deficit by switching state offices to a four-day week, slashing welfare benefits and healthcare for the poor and relying on a variety of short-term fixes mdash; all in the hopes that voters will give the state some breathing room by raising taxes in November. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/OnKIpP0_LqmTPJYNTXfVW3CNKxQ/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/OnKIpP0_LqmTPJYNTXfVW3CNKxQ/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/OnKIpP0_LqmTPJYNTXfVW3CNKxQ/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/OnKIpP0_LqmTPJYNTXfVW3CNKxQ/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/KTvPL6qG9vY" height="1" width="1"/

Casino operators lobby hard for legalization by the state. Co-sponsors of a state legalization bill hope it could raise hundreds of millions for the budget-battered state.br/br/SACRAMENTO mdash; As state leaders sweat over another possible round of cuts from schools and social services, casino operators are offering officials a cut of the action if they will legalize Internet poker in California. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/GmkYitWkFB6A2C10WzYKBOYwGVI/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/GmkYitWkFB6A2C10WzYKBOYwGVI/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/GmkYitWkFB6A2C10WzYKBOYwGVI/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/GmkYitWkFB6A2C10WzYKBOYwGVI/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/ih-JDZR_4mk" height="1" width="1"/

Tobacco companies are taking aim at Proposition 29, which would raise cigarette taxes $1 a pack. But they're blowing smoke.br/br/SACRAMENTO mdash; Cigarette makers have a certified history of deception, distortion and lying. And let's not forget fraud and racketeering. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/mcyAnXaAifQ5PObHFdnargcpjY0/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/mcyAnXaAifQ5PObHFdnargcpjY0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/mcyAnXaAifQ5PObHFdnargcpjY0/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/mcyAnXaAifQ5PObHFdnargcpjY0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/3kDyB90tA_Y" height="1" width="1"/

Candidates are campaigning earlier, spending more money and trying to broaden their appeal as only those who come in first and second will advance to the November ballot.br/br/In the first broad test of California's new "top-two" election system, many candidates in heated races for Congress and the state Legislature have been campaigning earlier, spending more money and downplaying their party affiliation as they try to widen their appeal. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Zl_u_zhipYI1ZDigeoqP4xwsvOA/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Zl_u_zhipYI1ZDigeoqP4xwsvOA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Zl_u_zhipYI1ZDigeoqP4xwsvOA/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Zl_u_zhipYI1ZDigeoqP4xwsvOA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/AEXwDhamytk" height="1" width="1"/

The June 5 ballot initiative would raise cigarette taxes by $1 a pack to fund tobacco-related disease research. Its supporters lack the funds for a comparable campaign.br/br/Every morning when UC San Diego physicist Herbert Levine laces up his running shoes and chugs alongside Mission Bay, his earphones crackle with radio ads opposing a proposed $1-per-pack cigarette tax to raise money for cancer research. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/4h1Lh6z_rMGVg-ygfsSw7qH3QG0/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/4h1Lh6z_rMGVg-ygfsSw7qH3QG0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/4h1Lh6z_rMGVg-ygfsSw7qH3QG0/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/4h1Lh6z_rMGVg-ygfsSw7qH3QG0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/rOpB4QElt1c" height="1" width="1"/

The legislation to enable the developer to bypass local agencies in seeking approval was fast-tracked in the Assembly. Environmentalists say the proposed Calico Solar facility would be ecologically damaging.br/br/Despite strong opposition from environmentalists, the state Assembly on Thursday approved controversial legislation that allows a solar energy developer to bypass local agencies in seeking to build a large-scale power plant in a valley that is home to desert tortoises, golden eagles and bighorn sheep. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/liUEvv10sTGTNaFyPhOuKFj2alI/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/liUEvv10sTGTNaFyPhOuKFj2alI/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/liUEvv10sTGTNaFyPhOuKFj2alI/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/liUEvv10sTGTNaFyPhOuKFj2alI/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/bpx7f5VKA2s" height="1" width="1"/

Brown issued the warning while delivering boxes of petitions to election officials requesting that his proposed tax hike be placed on the November ballot.br/br/SACRAMENTO #8212; Gov. Jerry Brown warned Californians on Thursday to brace for another round of difficult budget cuts as he hand-delivered boxes of petitions to election officials requesting that his proposed tax hike be placed on the November ballot. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/rXluymDxmZB3ocfKu5SsS5GPAeM/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/rXluymDxmZB3ocfKu5SsS5GPAeM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/rXluymDxmZB3ocfKu5SsS5GPAeM/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/rXluymDxmZB3ocfKu5SsS5GPAeM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/vLmwd35yTyA" height="1" width="1"/

Of 40 million born abroad, the greatest number lives in California, with large populations in New York, Texas and Florida, Census Bureau report says.br/br/The U.S. foreign-born population has risen to its highest level since 1920, with 13% of all those living in the nation in 2010 having been born elsewhere, a new report from the Census Bureau shows. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/qFhG8ahvkGCHqcr_ThUfSggsrGw/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/qFhG8ahvkGCHqcr_ThUfSggsrGw/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/qFhG8ahvkGCHqcr_ThUfSggsrGw/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/qFhG8ahvkGCHqcr_ThUfSggsrGw/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/Ky65S9F6LBw" height="1" width="1"/

By allowing California legislators to serve 12 years in one house, Prop. 28 would instill some adult supervision and dampen political ambition, especially in the Assembly.br/br/Proposition 28 proposes a tiny tweak in legislative term limits. But it could have a huge impact on legislative quality. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fhqH3VC8K-Wr-tfk5LWaYA_1JRU/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fhqH3VC8K-Wr-tfk5LWaYA_1JRU/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fhqH3VC8K-Wr-tfk5LWaYA_1JRU/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fhqH3VC8K-Wr-tfk5LWaYA_1JRU/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/-wbB7ttmcWY" height="1" width="1"/

Deep Springs College, an all-male school north of Death Valley, plans to admit women next year for the first time in its 95-year history. But two trustees are attempting to block the change.br/br/Deep Springs College, the tiny but prestigious school and ranch north of Death Valley, plans to admit female students for the first time in its 95-year history. But opponents of co-education sought to block the change Wednesday. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/QfPGH_wchcQO48Jb_x_RD6Ud5FY/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/QfPGH_wchcQO48Jb_x_RD6Ud5FY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/QfPGH_wchcQO48Jb_x_RD6Ud5FY/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/QfPGH_wchcQO48Jb_x_RD6Ud5FY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/QJaTN5krbDs" height="1" width="1"/

A proposal to charge for entrance at more parks, tap vehicle registration fees to maintain park roads and redirect other state funds would keep open dozens of 70 set to close.br/br/SACRAMENTO #8212; Lawmakers are considering a new proposal to save dozens of state parks from the budget ax, rather than follow through with plans to close them in the middle of summer vacation season. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/kfijvH4TTRCLXnxVDuGTWmT5os4/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/kfijvH4TTRCLXnxVDuGTWmT5os4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/kfijvH4TTRCLXnxVDuGTWmT5os4/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/kfijvH4TTRCLXnxVDuGTWmT5os4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/zAhXrfmhHLA" height="1" width="1"/

The forms can be requested from county registrars until May 29. The last day to register to vote in this year's primary is May 21.br/br/Election officials have begun sending out vote-by-mail ballots for the June 5 primary. pa href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/mUIcq7EvBX1htzoPDDsXXw_-GKY/0/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/mUIcq7EvBX1htzoPDDsXXw_-GKY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/abr/ a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/mUIcq7EvBX1htzoPDDsXXw_-GKY/1/da"img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/mUIcq7EvBX1htzoPDDsXXw_-GKY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"/img/a/pimg src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/news/local/politics/cal/~4/zPO7_dR9IOA" height="1" width="1"/