PHILADELPHIA — Bill Cosby resigned Monday as a trustee of Temple University following a string of allegations that accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting women over many years.

The 77-year-old entertainer has been a high-profile cheerleader for his beloved alma mater in Philadelphia and a board member since 1982.

“I have always been proud of my association with Temple University. I have always wanted to do what would be in the best interests of the university and its students. As a result, I have tendered my resignation from the Temple University board of trustees,” Cosby said in a statement.

Board chairman Patrick O'Connor told The Associated Press that Cosby does not want to be a distraction to the board.

“The board of trustees accepts Dr. Cosby's resignation from the board and thanks him for his service to the university,” the university said in its release.

HONOLULU — Hawaii County says the front of a lava flow near the small town of Pahoa has shifted.County civil defense officials said Monday the front is now nearly 3 miles upslope of an intersection at the entrance of Pahoa town. The lava is moving through forested land and has advanced about 400 yards since Sunday. The county says the lava doesn't immediately pose a threat to communities.Lava from the volcano crossed a rural road in Pahoa in October and burned a house last month. The flow came within 500 yards of Pahoa's main road, but then stalled.Kilauea volcano has been erupting continuously for more than 31 years.

WASHINGTON — An aide to a Republican congressman resigned Monday after her Facebook post criticizing President Barack Obama's daughters touched off a backlash.Elizabeth Lauten, communications director to Rep. Stephen Fincher of Tennessee, said Malia Obama, 16, and Sasha, 13, should have shown more “class” at a turkey-pardoning ceremony last week at the White House.Lauten wrote that the girls should “respect the part you play,” and added: “Then again your mother and father don't respect their positions very much, or the nation for that matter, so I'm guessing you're coming up a little short in the 'good role model department.'''Lauten later apologized for the comments and deleted the original post, which drew harsh criticism across social media.Jessica Carter, chief of staff for Fincher, said Monday that Lauten resigned. Carter had no additional comment on a personnel matter.After the post became the topic of conversation on a variety websites, Lauten issued an apology, saying “many hours of prayer,” conversations with her family and a re-reading of her words made her reconsider the post.“When I first posted on Facebook I reacted to an article and I quickly judged the two young ladies in a way that I would never have wanted to be judged myself as a teenager,” Lauten told the Commercial Appeal of Memphis in an e-mail. “Please know, those judgmental feelings truly have no place in my heart. Furthermore, I'd like to apologize to all of those who I have hurt and offended with my words.”

NEWARK, N.J. — A man who pleaded guilty to trying to sell firearms believed to have been owned by Saddam Hussein's family was fined $5,000 by a federal judge Monday.Howard Blumenthal, 76, of Fort Lee, N.J., had faced up to five years in prison.Seven guns with an estimated value of $250,000 to $350,000 were seized in December 2012. Among the firearms were a .357 semi-automatic pistol featuring a gold medallion “QS.” That's presumed to indicate the late Iraqi president's son, Qusay.Other guns included two .357 Magnums, a .32-caliber semi-automatic pistol, two 12-gauge shotguns and a semi-automatic, .45-caliber pistol with gold leaf and gold inlays and bearing the initials “QS.”Blumenthal was recruited to help round up potential buyers for the smuggled guns, prosecutors have said. They say he went to a New Jersey restaurant in July 2012 to meet with three other people who were indicted in the scheme, so they could discuss the sale of six of the seven weapons.The investigation into the plot began in April 2012, when federal law enforcement officers learned of plans to sell the weapons. Two other people charged in the case are awaiting trial, while a third has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.Carols Quirola-Ordonez, 57, of West Milford, N.J., was indicted in September on a charge of conspiring to sell stolen firearms. David Phillip Ryan, 50, of Miami is facing similar charges and is also charged with transporting stolen property. Karlo Christian Sauer of Pittsburgh has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

JONESBORO — A 13-year-old boy used text messages and photos to help lead police to the small compartment behind an upstairs linen closet where he was being hidden inside his father's and stepmother's home in the Atlanta suburbs, authorities said Monday.Clayton County Police Chief Gregory Porter said the boy's biological mother, who lives in Orlando, Fla., called her local 911 and was routed to the 911 center in Jonesboro just before 11 p.m. Friday. She told police her son was being abused at a home in Jonesboro and was being hidden in a garage. Porter said the boy's mother told police he had been missing for four years, and she had been trying to reunite with him during that time.Those details and others in the case emerged during a press conference at Clayton County Police headquarters. Police declined to say whose phone the boy used, how he knew to contact his mother or which parent had legal custody of the boy. Porter said he didn't want to compromise the investigation.Two officers who responded initially couldn't find the boy after searching and shouting out for him inside the garage. They left, but were told to go back by a supervisor, Porter said.As police resumed their search shortly after midnight, the boy used an app to send his mother text messages, including a photo of the home's garage according to the initial police report. She then passed those updates to police, who continued questioning the other residents of the house and searching.The boy's stepmother eventually directed officers to a closet on the home's third floor, according to the report, where Sgt. Joanne Southerland found a panel at the back wall.