4:42 p.m. ET: American Idol has found another music diva to replace J.Lo as judge: Mariah Carey.

Courtesy of AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar

In a statement released by Fox, Carey said, "it's going to be fun and rewarding to help find new talent and give back with 'American Idol.' … I can't wait to channel my creative energy as a part of this show which is a massive global phenomenon."

Read the full ABC News story HERE

3:14 p.m. ET: In the wake of the shooting rampage in a Colorado movie theater last week, actor Jason Alexander of "Seinfeld" fame is weighing in on the gun control debate.

Courtesy of AP

On July 21, Alexander, an actor and outspoken liberal, tweeted the following:

@IJasonAlexander:I cannot understand support for legality of the kind of weapon in this massacre. It's a military weapon.why should it be in non- mil hands?

Twitter users on both sides of the political divide began tweeting responses, which led Alexander to flesh out his views via TwitLonger. ABC News has his extended tweets here.

2:50 p.m. ET: There are now 14 confirmed dead from the horrific Ford pickup crash in Texas last night.

Twenty-three people were crammed into the truck traveling on a highway in southeastern Texas when it ran off the road and slammed into two large trees.

"This is the most people I've seen in any passenger vehicle, and I've been an officer for 38 years," said Gerald Bryant, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety.

11:30 a.m. ET: ABC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT: Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes appears in court with bright reddish-orange dyed hair.

Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates told ABC News' David Muir that Halmes' family is not cooperating with authories.

10:40 a.m. ET: The NCAA announced that Penn State Uiversity was fined $60 million and the school's legendary former coach Joe Paterno was stripped of 13 years of wins and the title of winningest coach in history. Watch the announcement HERE:

The Penn State football program also suffered severe penalties. Read ABC News' Colleen Curry's fulls story HERE

10:06 a.m. ET: Prosecutors are considering pursuing a death penalty case against James Holmes, the alleged gunman accused of a movie theatre rampage last Friday that left 12 dead and 58 wounded.

Holmes is scheduled to make a court appearance at 11:30 today.