California

The Condom Access Project (CAP) launched by California officials in several counties last week provides free condoms through the mail to students as young as 12, and the taxpayer-funded initiative has some wondering if the program might actually encourage teens to have sex.

CAP, supported by the STD Control Branch of the California Department of Public Health and the nonprofit California Family Health Council, aims to cut the high rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and infections among the state's teens. The free, mail-order condom program for teens living in Alameda, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Kern County, and certain areas in San Francisco, was launched the week of Feb. 14. 

Teens 12-19 can log onto TeenSource.com, fill out a short form requesting their city, zip code and date of birth and then select to have a free package of 10 condoms, lubricant and education literature mailed in a plain yellow envelope to their home. Condoms can be requested every 30 days. more >>

Christian rapper Lecrae will be performing alongside hip-hop veterans such as the Wu-Tang Clan and the Diplomats at this year's Paid Dues independent hip-hop festival presented by rapper Murs and Guerilla Union.

Lecrae, while enjoying great success in the realm of Christian hip-hop, seems to be breaking through to the mainstream more and more, first with an appearance on DJ Statik Selektah's album on the song Live and Let Live, and now joining the lineup at this festival that includes hip-hop acts from all arenas including former mainstreamers, and strictly independent artists.

Along with the list of veterans who will be gracing the mic at Paid Dues 2012 – such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Dipset, and the Oscar award winning Three-6 Mafia – big names in the underground realm of the genre will also perform, including acts such as Brother Ali and Mac Lethal. more >>

Senior Pastor Sheila Coleman has temporarily left the board of directors of the Crystal Cathedral Ministries "while the ministry goes through a time of transition," the church announced Wednesday via a public relations firm.

The news emerged after recent speculation by congregants that Coleman had been ousted from the board of directors together with the executive producer of the "Hour of Power," the ministry's legendary televangelical show, Jim Penner.

Coleman, the firstborn child of the ministry's founder, Robert H. Schuller, has been serving as the church's chief executive officer and the board's non-voting interim chairman, according to the LA Times. The positions are now expected to be taken over by a longtime administrative worker at the church, John Charles. more >>

Crystal Cathedral Ministries' senior pastor Sheila Coleman has addressed the sale of the church's signature Garden Grove, Calif. property once again in a recent blog post, noting how attached her congregation was to the iconic glass structure.

In a recent post for the ministry's legendary show, "The Hour of Power," titled "Not About a Church Building - But About Building a Church!" Coleman once again reminded her congregation that the loss of the ministry's traditional building should not be taken so hard.

"When the news broke that the Crystal Cathedral campus had gone into escrow for sale to the Catholic church, it amazed me how many people thought that the ministry was finished," Coleman wrote. "In their minds, they equated the ministry with the building and the campus. And, of course, that makes sense – after all, our ministry was named after our building!" more >>

Nicki Minaj performed "Roman Holiday" during the 2012 Grammy Awards Sunday night, leaving fans perplexed and some suspicious that the music artist may indeed be bipolar or demon possessed, as the the hip-hop artist's showcase is being referred to as "the exorcism of Roman."

Minaj unleashed her inner demon, or alter ego known as "Roman Zolanski," during the performance of her new single "Roman Holiday" Sunday night, with her set design conjuring up occult and religious references, which some viewers found disturbing and even sacrilegious. The song, "Roman Holiday," is from the rapper's soon-to-be released second album, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded."

Under the influence of her notorious alter ego, Minaj took viewers through what appeared to be an exorcism. During the performance the rapper levitated and, according to MTV, at one point spoke in tongues. Minaj's outlandish and what some are calling nonsensical Grammys act drew similarities to Lady Gaga's equally outlandish performances. more >>

After last night's Grammy Awards, in which Jennifer Hudson sang a tribute to the late Whitney Houston and rapper L.L. Cool J said a prayer in her remembrance, fans turned to the Internet Monday morning to offer their own tribute to the popular singer, causing the phrase "RIP Whitney Houston" to trend on various social media networks. 

On YouTube, fans including members of the public, media and celebrity community, posted their favorite videos of Houston's songs.

On of the most popular video clips Monday was one uploaded by a fan onto to YouTube of Jennifer Hudson singing Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" from Sunday night's Grammy ceremony, which can be watched below.  more >>