The Short List: California drought; Arkansas 'religious freedom' bill; March Madness salaries

In California, the drought is so much bigger than not being able to water your lawn

We've heard about California's historic drought for years, but today the game changed. While standing on a patch of dry grass in the Sierra Nevada that should have been a snowpack, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced the state's first-ever mandatory cuts in water usage. The state has been working to trim water use since Brown proclaimed a drought emergency last year, but it wasn't enough. More than 98% of the state remains in some level of drought. The water restrictions will affect everything from golf courses to public streets. Campuses, cemeteries and other large landscapes are going to have to make significant cuts in water use. Fifty million square feet of lawns throughout the state will have to be replaced with drought-tolerant landscaping. Families in homes where wells have run dry will have to be relocated. "It's a different world," Brown said. Welcome to California's new normal.

What's in #TheShortList:

• The "religious freedom" bill in Arkansas has divided the governor's family
• How much top NCAA basketball coaches get paid (Hint: It's way more than you do)
• Controversy around video purported to be from inside doomed Germanwings flight
• What it really means to be "smartphone-dependent"

Short on time? Listen to the audio version of #TheShortList:

Arkansas governor's son urged him not to sign 'religious freedom' bill

The "religious freedom" bill in Arkansas is so divisive, it's even split Gov. Asa Hutchinson's own family: His son Seth joined the state's growing opposition to the bill and signed the petition urging him to veto it. Today, the governor said he won't sign the bill in its current form. "It has been my intention all along to have House Bill 1228 to mirror the federal act," Hutchinson said. "The bill that is on my desk at the present time does not ... mirror the federal law." He was referring to the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act signed by then-president Bill Clinton in 1993. (Speaking of the Clintons, the former first lady chimed in on the debate today, urging Hutchinson to veto the bill.) Hutchinson said he wants to make sure the legislation reflects the values of the people of Arkansas and minimizes discrimination in the workplace. The Arkansas bill mirrors the one Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed into law last week.

During March Madness, we take a look at just how much coaches are paid

What, in dollars and cents, is a national title worth? That's hard to say. But the case of Kevin Ollie provides valuable clues. Ollie is the University of Connecticut coach who won the NCAA men's basketball tournament a year ago while making $1.25 million. He signed a new deal in May that pays him $3 million this season. So, at least in this lab experiment, we get some idea of a national title's worth: $1.75 million, less the $50,000 raise he'd have gotten under his former deal. USA TODAY Sports analyzed the contracts of 64 of the 68 coaches in the NCAA men's tournament — information for four private schools was not available — and found their average compensation for this season is just over $1.75 million, or about the amount of Ollie's raise. Read the eye-opening report here. Take a look at a database of men's basketball coaches compensation here.

Reports say a video shows the final moments of the Germanwings crash — but is it a hoax?

If a video of the last moments of doomed Germanwings Flight 9525 exists, it's sure to be horrifying; if it's a hoax, as French authorities claim, well, that's horrifying, too. Lt. Col. Jean-Marc Menichini, a French Gendarmerie spokesman, told CNN that reports the video came from the site were "completely wrong." Régis Le Sommier, the deputy editor of French publication Paris Match, defended his publication's reporting. "I'm convinced this is real," Le Sommier said on NBC's Today show. French prosecutor Brice Robin said cellphones retrieved from the site have not been flown out for analysis yet. Paris Match and Bild reported on the video's existence yesterday. "Just before the end of the video, the aircraft seems to be touching a mountain," Bild wrote. "It looks like the cabin gets blown to the side. Once again you can hear people cry — then the video ends." Neither publication has published the video online.

Pew study looks at what it really means to be dependent on your phone

You're probably reading #TheShortList on your smartphone, right? Cool. We like that. Let's talk about your Internet habits for a minute. If you're like most Americans, your phone or tablet probably isn't the only device you use to access the Web. Most people use a mix of ways to get online, which can include a computer, tablet or phone at home, at work, wherever. An interesting Pew Research Center study out today breaks down the numbers of Americans' smartphone use and finds 7% are "smartphone-dependent," meaning that their phone is really the only way they can get online. These users are younger, poorer, less-educated and more likely to be a member of a minority than the rest of Americans. Of people with annual household incomes of less than $30,000 per year, 13% were smartphone-dependent. In contrast, just 1% of Americans who live in households that earn more than $75,000 were only able to access the Internet via a smartphone. Thanks to all of you for reading on whatever device you're using, and an extra special thanks to those of you in the 7%.

Extra Bites:

What a view. Astronauts captured some awe-inspiring shots of Super Typhoon Maysak and its cavernous eye today. It's our favorite photo in today's Day in Pictures gallery. If you want more stunning storm photos from the group aboard the ISS, we round them up here.

Did you fall for any April Fools' Day tweets, videos or tricks? Here are some we came across today.

Here's a look at 10 U.S. cities you might want to avoid during rush hour.

Watch your step. Seriously. Swipe through photos of the most dangerous footpath in the world.

This is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY.

Contributing: John Bacon, Elizabeth Weise, Catalina Camia, USA TODAY; Erik Brady, Christopher Schnaars, Steve Berkowitz, USA TODAY Sports; Maureen Groppe, Special for USA TODAY; Laura E Monteverdi, KTHV-TV, Little Rock; Tom LoBianco, Tony Cook, The Indianapolis Star