Voice of Elmo embroiled in sex scandal involving an underage teen: Kevin Clash, the man known as the voice of Elmo, has taken a leave of absence from Sesame Street in the wake of allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy, TMZ reports.
The Supreme Court will take a look at the Voting Rights Act: Last Friday the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a constitutional challenge to the part of the landmark Voting Rights Act that requires all or parts of 16 states with a history of discrimination in voting to get federal approval before making any changes in the way they hold elections, according to the Huffington Post.
Robert Champion Jr.'s parents reject FAMU's $300,000 settlement offer: Calling it an insult, the family of Florida A&M University hazing victim Robert Champion Jr. rejected an offer of $300,000 to settle a suit filed in July against the school's board of trustees, according to BET. The offer is the maximum the school can offer without triggering state legislative action. Champion died in November 2011 after the 26-year-old drum major participated in a hazing ritual that involved punches and kicks as he tried to escape down the center aisle of a bus.
Jackie Lacey becomes Los Angeles County’s first female and first African-American district attorney: While the spotlight was on President Barack Obama last week, Jackie Lacey was making history of her own. On Tuesday she became the first African American and first female chief prosecutor of Los Angeles County, according to EURweb. Lacey, the chief deputy district attorney, won with a substantial lead over Deputy District Attorney Alan Jackson in the race to succeed District Attorney Steve Cooley.