NATIONAL BRIEFS

CALIFORNIA: Whole new late of teachers

When students return to the school where two teachers were jailed last week for alleged lewdness, they'll have all new teachers, a new principal and new workers serving lunch. The entire 120-member staff at Miramonte Elementary School will be replaced as of Thursday after a two-day school shutdown as part of Los Angeles Unified School District's investigation. More than a quarter of students did not show up for class Monday and a number of parents pulled children out of school on Friday after news broke of a teacher arrested on a charge of fondling a second-grader, four days after a third-grade teacher was accused of 23 lewd acts including feeding children his semen in a bizarre "tasting game." Tuesday, the board voted unanimously to fire the teacher arrested Friday, Martin Springer, 49. He has 30 days to appeal. Mark Berndt, 61, was fired in January 2011 after the district learned of a sheriff's department probe. He appealed, but then resigned.

WASHINGTON: Returning questionable funds

The Obama campaign is returning more than $200,000 in campaign donations from relatives of a fugitive and casino baron believed to be tied to political corruption in Mexico. The decision came after the contributions were flagged by The New York Times, which reported late Monday that it was donated by family members of Juan Jose Rojas "Pepe" Cardona, who is believed to have fled to Mexico after facing drug and fraud charges in the United States. Cardona's brothers, Carlos Cardona and Alberto Rojas, both of Chicago, began donating and soliciting contributions for the Obama campaign last fall. The campaign said it was not aware of their connection to Pepe Cardona.

NEBRASKA: Kerrey can't be lured back

Former Sen. Bob Kerrey rejected a comeback run for Senate on Tuesday, dashing Democrats' hopes of holding a coveted Nebraska seat being vacated at the end of the year by Ben Nelson, the lone Democrat in the state congressional delegation.