5 Things to Know This Morning

Dec. 3, 2012 — -- Your look at the five biggest and most buzz-worthy stories of the morning.

1. West Cost Drying After Heavy Rain
After five days of rain and wind, the west coast is beginning to dry out. Up to 18 inches of rain fell in parts of northern California and wind gusts reached up to 150 miles per hour in parts of the Sierra Mountains.

2. 5 States to Add 300 School Hours
Five states are slated to announce today that they will add at least 300 hours of class time to calendars in some schools. In 2013, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Tennessee will take part in the initiative, which hopes to boost student achievement.

3. 9 Dead After Japan Tunnel Collapse
At least nine people have died after an expressway tunnel in central Japan collapsed over the weekend. The number of casualties could rise in the coming days.

4. Stars Receive Kennedy Center Honors Treatment
Actor Dustin Hoffman, blues guitarist Buddy Guy, ballerina Natalia Makarova and comedian David Letterman got the Kennedy Center Honors treatment at the White House ahead of the annual gala on Sunday night. The entertainment icons were given a reception with rockers Led Zeppelin before the event.

5. 'Skyfall,' 'Twilight' Dominate Box Office
"Skyfall" and the finale in the "Twilight" saga dominated the box office again over the weekend. The "Twilight" blockbuster raked in $17.4 million domestically while "Skyfall" came in close behind with $17 million.