The Year in Review 1997: APRIL

Many students complained, however, that hip-hop performers A Tribe Called Quest and pop artists Fun Lovin' Criminals didn't live up to past Fling headliners. Amid the Fling hubbub, a legal battle began over the fate of a local video arcade and laundry. Six days after the City of Philadelphia shut down University Pinball and University Laundry at 4006-08 Spruce Street, calling them a public nuisance, Penn and the city found themselves the target of a lawsuit by the Schoepe family, which owns the businesses. In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, the Schoepes accused Penn and city officials of violating their civil rights by not giving them a hearing before the establishments were closed April 18. The businesses reopened under an April 25 court order, one day after the suit was filed. U.S. District Judge Marvin Katz may call the case to trial any day. Also in April, administrators announced preliminary plans to create "residential communities" that would unify living and academics while maintaining the high level of student choice already available. The plans were based on the recommendations of the Biddison Hier consulting firm and a report from a committee chaired by Art History Professor David Brownlee. In an election that saw both Undergraduate Assembly and InterFraternity Council leaders lobbying for votes, only 12 incumbents retained their seats on this year's UA. Greeks won 20 of the 25 open slots. Also, Christopher Crawford and Albert Bandy were sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison for their involvement in a series of robberies that culminated with the September shooting of then-College senior Patrick Leroy. Christopher Jones, another accomplice, was sentenced in March to 20 to 60 years in prison for his role in the incident. Finally, baseball coach Bob Seddon, in his 26th year as the Quakers' coach, won his 500th career game. -- Stephanie Cooperman