Military Family Readiness Programs

To some extent the Iraq war has been pushed to the back burner by issues like the economy and the housing crisis. But for the enlisted men and women serving overseas and their families back home, the war is very much front and center. We spoke with two California women who are being honored for their work on behalf of military families. First we hear from Barbara Draughon, coordinator of Operation Ready Families for the Air National Guard's 144th fighter wing in Fresno. Her group helps families prepare for deployments, and it's being recognized by the Department of Defense as one of the best family readiness groups in the nation. Scott Shafer also speaks with volunteer Suzanne Moles about her experiences with the family readiness group.

Iraq Refugees

The war is also disrupting life for many Iraqi families. More than two million Iraqis have fled their homeland since the war began. The U.S. has pledged to resettle 12,000 Iraqi refugees this year, but only 2,000 have actually arrived. One advocacy group in San Jose is pushing the U.S. to do more -- and trying to cut red tape for Iraqi refugees with ties to Silicon Valley. Reporter: Oanh Ha

Art of Dissent

War often provokes a creative response from artists, writers, musicians and filmmakers. A new exhibit in Southern California includes work by artists critical of the Bush administration's war policies. The show focuses broadly on the concept of political dissent, and draws comparisons between the massive student movement of the late 1960s and today's youth activism. Reporter: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

• More: Photos of the art
• More: Official site of the exhibit

Nanotechnology and Cancer

The same federal agency that sent men to the moon is teaming up with medical researchers in Southern California. Their goal is to find breakthrough treatments for brain cancer. Reporter: Brooke Binkowski

Aphrodesia Music Review

One benefit of California's cultural diversity is that it exposes all of us to the traditions, styles and tastes of a whole lot of countries. For the Bay Area band Aphrodesia, inspiration is found in the African funk and rock sounds known as Afrobeat. Their latest release, "Lagos by Bus" chronicles their journey to Africa and their unexpected pilgrimage to honor an Afrobeat legend. Reporter: Steve Hochman

• More: Aphrodesia's official site