Nation, world briefs 10/18/2015

Obama to focus on justice reforms

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said he'll travel the country in the coming weeks to encourage changes to the nation's criminal justice system that would reduce incarceration rates. Obama said he's encouraged by lawmakers' efforts to reduce the mandatory minimum sentence for nonviolent drug offenders. They also are looking at rewarding prisoners with shorter sentences if they complete certain programs to cut the number of repeat offenders. Obama said 500,000 people were behind bars in America 30 years ago. Now, there are 2.2 million. He said many of the people in prison belong there, but the U.S. also is locking up more nonviolent offenders than ever before. During his travel, Obama said he'll meet with police chiefs, a community battling drug abuse and former prisoners.

Spain cardinal hurt in crash

MADRID -- One of Spain's senior clergymen was injured in a car crash in the eastern city of Valencia a day before he was due to celebrate Mass in Rome with Pope Francis, according to a church statement. Cardinal Antonio Canizares of Valencia was treated in the city's General Hospital early Saturday after receiving cuts to his face and injuring an arm when the car he was being driven in was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle, the statement said. The crash happened when a car driven by a woman "jumped a red stop light," also injuring the cardinal's chauffeur. Canizares had been due to concelebrate with the Pope a canonization Mass in the Vatican today for the parents of France's St. Therese of Lisieux.

California begins cleanup after storms

LOS ANGELES -- Homeowners in northern Los Angeles County's Antelope Valley are digging mud out of their houses as county crews continue extensive work to clear tons of dirt from the area. The cleanup follows thunderstorms Thursday that unleashed flash flooding and debris flows, damaging dozens of homes and trapping hundreds of cars on area highways and roads. No injuries were reported. Kerjon Lee, a spokesman for Los Angeles County Public Works, said 50 field personnel and more than 30 pieces of heavy equipment are on the ground in the areas of Elizabeth Lake and Lake Hughes, about 40 miles north of Los Angeles. He said their work could take months. State Highway 58, a major trucking route, is expected to be closed for days.

'Citations' given for good behavior

CONCORD, Mass. -- Getting a ticket from police in one Massachusetts town isn't necessarily a bad thing. Concord's police department says it plans to issue up to 200 "citations" for good behavior. That could include such things as wearing a bicycle helmet or a seat belt, yielding to pedestrians at a crosswalk or looking both ways before crossing a street. Police Chief Joseph O'Connor says it's a light-hearted way to connect positively with the community. Instead of a fine or a court appearance, these citations can be redeemed for two scoops of ice cream at Reasons to be Cheerful, a local dessert cafe. The owner of the restaurant, Wade Rubinstein, agreed to donate the ice cream.

-- From wire reports