CAMPUS BRIEFS: Tuesday, April 14, 1998

Panhel hosts pre-Fling Superblock 'Campusfest' From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, "Campusfest" will give students the chance to compete against their friends and fellow classmates in games like jousting, sumo wrestling and basketball, according to Panhel President Janelle Brodsky, a College and Engineering junior. "We decided it would be something fun to do to bring the Spring Fling atmosphere on campus a little early," said Brodsky, a Pi Beta Phi sister. Winners of the games will receive prizes from corporate sponsors such as Right Guard and L'Oreal, she added. The festivities will also include a raffle to win a new Chevrolet Cavalier convertible. And on Wednesday, newly initiated sisters of the eight Panhel sororities will host a free barbecue open to all students. -- Jeremy Reiss Work begins on first fresh air food plaza Construction began yesterday on the first of the fresh air food plazas, located on 40th Street between Walnut and Locust streets. The plaza, which will take four to six weeks to build, will have the capacity for 12 vendors, according to Jack Shannon, the University's managing director for economic development. Penn is building five food plazas on its property to house vendors who would be displaced by a proposed City Council ordinance that would ban them from most streets and sidewalks in the area. The five food plazas will hold a total of 45 vendors. The plazas will provide outdoor seating for customers, as well as electrical hook-ups, sewage, water lines and improved lighting for vendors at the cost of $1 per month. The other four plazas will be built behind Meyerson Hall near 34th and Walnut streets; by Franklin Field at 33rd and South streets; between Gimbel Gymnasium and the parking garage on the 3700 block of Walnut Street; and at 34th and Spruce streets next to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. -- Seth Grossman Student, others robbed at 33rd and Walnut A teenage girl, with the help of three male accomplices, robbed a female University graduate student and two male companions at gunpoint near 33rd and Walnut streets shortly after midnight Saturday, police said. No one was injured. The incident began at about 12:30 a.m. when three males "impeded the progress" of the student, who was walking east on Walnut Street with two male friends, University Police Det. Gary Heller said. The male accomplices forced them to stop at the northeast corner of 33rd and Walnut Streets, Heller said. The female suspect, who was described as being between 17 and 19 years old, then approached the student and her companions from behind, brandishing a silver, stainless-steel semi-automatic pistol. Although the student was not carrying anything, the two men -- who are not affiliated with the University -- surrendered their wallets, which contained a total of $40 in cash. The suspect then ordered the three to walk eastbound while she and the three males fled in an unknown direction, police said. Police are investigating the incident. -- Maureen Tkacik