Ben & Jerry's pushes back opening to early April
Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, which is slated to open in the 40th Street corridor, has delayed its opening by several weeks.
Originally hoping to open by mid-March, Ben & Jerry's franchise owner Rob Rokosky said that the ice cream parlor will most likely open in early April.
The delays stem from the fact that renovations to the retail space and other preparations are incomplete. However, Ben & Jerry's has not had any problems with its plans.
Rokosky is in the process of preparing the space and hiring employees, including West Philadelphia residents and University students, he said. Despite the delays, he said that he foresees a successful opening.
Ben & Jerry's will fill the vacancy left by smoothie and hot dog shop Papaya King, which closed in the fall after only two years on campus. The space has remained empty for several months while the University searched for a new vendor.
-- Lara Gitlin
Prime Fling concert seats to be decided by lottery
Due to its new venue, Spring Fling Concert organizers are conducting a ticket lottery.
The April 11 event -- featuring rapper Busta Rhymes, hip hop group Jurassic 5 and rock bands The Donnas and OK Go -- has been moved to Franklin Field due to renovation plans for Hill Field.
And because Franklin Field offers both stadium seating and a floor section, the Social Planning and Events Committee Concerts branch is giving students a chance to get up close for no extra charge.
"The floor section would be small, so we're doing a lottery since it's a special privilege," said SPEC Concerts Co-Director Erica Lock.
Students who buy their $20 concert tickets by Friday can use their ticket numbers to enter the lottery -- to be held this weekend -- on the SPEC Concerts Web site.
According to Lock, SPEC has not yet determined how many floor section tickets will be distributed.
-- Madlen Read
U. wins top prize for community initiatives
The University-Assisted Community School Program has been awarded a $100,000 Youth Development Award from the William T. Grant Foundation, according to a news release yesterday.
The program involves multi-year projects run by Penn faculty and students related to environmental health, nutrition and literacy issues. It was developed by the University's Center for Community Partnerships.
"This magnificent award is a testimony to the enormous potential of university-community-school partnerships and problem-focused research to improve both the quality of life and the quality of scholarship and learning of children in our community," University President Judith Rodin said in the release.
-- Rachel Velcoff
