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Jim Lehrer, a fixture in the world of television news for more than two decades, will address graduates at the University's 246th Commencement, Penn administrators confirmed yesterday.
Only a week before its scheduled grand opening, The Freshgrocer project has been postponed indefinitely, according to supermarket operator Pat Burns. In an interview last night, Burns said he cannot open for business because the store's concrete and tile floor was not installed properly, resulting in bumps, cracks and other visible defects -- some of which could cause customers to trip and fall. Penn, which is responsible for construction at the 40th and Walnut streets site, has agreed to replace sections of the faulty floor, Burns said, but not all of it. As a result, Burns said he will wait until the facility meets his expectations to open for business. "There's no time limit," Burns said. "We may never get in there until this issue is resolved." "I'm not accepting the conditions," he added. "I don't have to go in there until it's acceptable." The Freshgrocer was originally scheduled to open last summer, and has faced a series of other construction delays over the past year. Burns said it was impossible to pinpoint when The Freshgrocer might be able to finally open as the floor repairs remain Penn's responsibility. "It literally could be months until we get it resolved," Burns said. "The ball is in their court." But Penn's Vice President for Facilities Services, Omar Blaik, denied that the floor problems are a major obstacle and said they should take a few weeks, at most, to correct. "I really think that the floor issues are very simple ones, not noticeable," Blaik said. "We have agreed with [Burns] on a course of action for the floors." Store employees began packing up merchandise last night, filling large crates with perishable goods that can no longer be sold. The Freshgrocer was slated to open on April 1, but with no potential opening day in sight, Burns said he was forced to start removing products with expiration dates from the store's shelves. "I have to take things off the shelves because we can't open," Burns said. Until last night, the supermarket was roughly 75 percent stocked. Burns could not estimate how much money he stands to lose as a result of the situation and said he is not sure where the food will be transported. The ground floor at The Freshgrocer faces several problems, including a 400-foot-long elevated seam that separates different sections of the floor. Penn has agreed to correct the fissure in about a week. But Burns said Penn will not fix other problems he has identified, including peeling and cracking concrete, raised tile and small bumps and mounds throughout the store. "We've been telling them the floor is not correct and they just haven't fixed it," Burns said. "Nobody has stepped up to the plate to fix it. The floors will not last and they need to be addressed." In addition, Burns said certain sections, if left uncorrected, could pose a threat to store patrons. "People would trip in a heartbeat," Burns said. But Blaik dismissed any concerns about the store's safety. "I would characterize the floor issues as being minor," Blaik said. Burns, however, explained that he recently sought the opinion of an outside contractor, who offered a scathing review of the floor construction. "He said it's the worst job he's ever seen," Burns said. "The concrete floors just aren't done correctly." The Freshgrocer, which has seen several construction delays since its inception, was originally scheduled to open last July and was expected to serve as an anchor for revitalization along the 40th Street corridor. The new grocery store was intended complement the Sundance Cinemas complex, which would bring an independent film theater and restaurant across the street. But the Sundance project folded last November when its major financial backer declared bankruptcy, forcing Sundance to withdraw. The University is currently looking for new partners in the theater endeavor. Over the past year, as several tentative opening days have come and gone, Burns said he remained patient and did not blame Penn for the delays. And while Burns said last night that he hopes to maintain a good working relationship with the University, this latest development has somewhat soured the deal, especially since the additional delays will likely push the opening into the summer months when most students will not be on campus. "They want a market but they don't want to solve the problems," Burns said, describing his pleas for help as falling on "deaf ears." He said the defects were identified about two months ago, but negotiations with University officials have not resulted in a full agreement. Burns said he spoke with Penn's top real estate official, Tom Lussenhop, last night. Lussenhop did not return several calls for comment. The Freshgrocer -- initially called Freshgrocer.com -- pushed back its original opening date to January 10 as construction delays surfaced. When January passed, the store was then set to open on March 1. On February 28, The Freshgrocer hosted a reception for Penn and city officials, complete with appetizers, free drinks and a live band. However, at the time of the reception, Freshgrocer officials had abruptly canceled the March 1 opening, and eventually settled on the April 1 date. Burns speculated last night that Penn's refusal to fix all sections of the floor might stem from concerns about construction cost overruns. "I think they're over budget," Burns said. "I understand that, but it's not my fault." And although Burns said he is not optimistic about the short-term future of the store, he is ready to continue with the project as soon as possible. "If something gets done, we're willing to act fast," Burns said. "As fast as they can sit down with us and work out the issues, we can open in eight to 10 days."
SPEC canceled the two groups after learning of longstanding animosity between them. [NOTE: This article appeared in the annual joke issue.] After learning of a history of bad blood between this year's Spring Fling headline bands, the Social Planning and Events Committee announced yesterday that it will terminate its contracts with both the Roots and Ben Folds Five. The decision, announced in a press release yesterday, had been brewing for the past week, and now leaves the annual Spring Fling concert without performers with just four days until showtime. "Safety is always a top priority at our concerts and we determined that having the Roots and Ben Folds Five play at the same venue would create a hostile and potentially dangerous environment," said Fling Co-Chair Mike Silverstein, a College junior. The conflict between the two groups stems from an incident at a 1996 Penn State concert where Ben Folds Five frontman Ben Folds threw his microphone stand into the crowd, injuring three people, including a member of the Roots entourage. Since then, the two groups have had several altercations, including a small melee at the 1997 Grammy Awards. SPEC officials are now scrambling to find replacement acts for Friday night's show at Hill Field. Silverstein said yesterday that SPEC will work in partnership with Connaissance, the Speaker People, to sign a band on such short notice. Although it usually takes several weeks to make arrangements with big name musical acts, rumors that pop star Britney Spears is a possible replacement have been circulating. Spears' 1999 hit "?Baby One More Time" -- which launched her onto the music scene and made her the obsession of horny teenage boys everywhere -- is the inspiration for this year's Fling theme, Fling Me Baby One More Time. The rumor involving Spears arose after it was learned that Connaissance co-Chairman Theo LeCompte's father is the agent for the bubble gum pop diva. Silverstein refused to comment about the rumor, though he did say that "although Spears is hot she has no musical talent whatsoever." However, in an interview late last night, LeCompte -- who helps give pretentious introductions every time a big speaker comes to campus -- said he would love to see Spears work her magic at Fling. "Honestly, I'm one of her biggest fans," LeCompte said. "Her words have such meaning, such power, that I couldn't pick a better Fling performer myself. And as I am the Speaker Person, I think I can get her here." After learning of the possibility that Spears will headline Fling, members of Penn Students Against Britney staged a protest in University President Judith Rodin's office last night, burning hundreds of copies of "?Baby One More Time," and Seventeen magazine.
The Saturday shooting was preceded by an armed robbery at the Moravian Cafes a few hours earlier. University and Philadelphia police have their hands full this morning as they continue their investigations into an off-campus shooting early Saturday morning and an armed robbery at the Moravian Cafes food court hours earlier. According to University Police officials, two men traveling in a car were shot on the 3800 block of Market Street at around 12:25 a.m. on Saturday. One victim was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, while the other was sent to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Neither victim is believed to be affiliated with the University. According to University Police Deputy Chief of Investigations Tom King, both men were resting in stable condition as of last night. Although King was unsure of the exact nature of the injuries, he said he believed one victim was shot in the face and the other sustained a leg wound. Witnesses told police that five black men wearing dark clothing fled the scene, which is located near the First District Plaza on the northwest corner of 38th and Market streets. Both University and Philadelphia police patrols rushed to the area in what King called a "major response." Penn detectives are joining their Philadelphia counterparts in the investigation. King said he did not know how many shots were fired, but he did note that there were "numerous" shell casings at the scene. "We're involved in a joint investigation [with Philadelphia Police]," King said. "We're doing a lot of interviews right now." King declined to comment further on the status of the investigation. Saturday's incident marks the second shooting in the 38th Street area in just the past week. Last Monday, a man unaffiliated with the University was shot in the stomach outside the Pegasus Showcase nightclub at 3801 Chestnut Street. "There is no reason to believe the shootings are related at this time," King said. "Naturally, though, we're concerned," he added. In the weekend's other major incident, two employees at the Moravian Cafes food court, located at 3409 Walnut Street, were robbed at gunpoint shortly after closing on Friday night. According to University Police, two employees of Eat at Joe's Express were confronted at a rear service entrance at around 10 p.m. on Friday by two men, one who was carrying a gun. The suspects, who were both wearing dark ski masks at the time of the robbery, made off with over $1,600 from the establishment. Neither victim was physically injured during the robbery, though Eat at Joe's Express Manager Ken Gilliam said last night that the two employees continue to be "extremely shaken-up" by the incident. "Both were supposed to work yesterday and today, but they just couldn't do it," Gilliam said on Sunday. Gilliam, who was not present during the robbery, explained that the employees were completing paperwork after closing time and were confronted by the armed men as they tried to leave through the rear exit. The door, which leads into the main part of the kiosk, was pried open, Gilliam said. "[The robbers] waited until everyone left, then entered at the service entrance," Gilliam speculated. Spectaguards routinely patrol the food court, but Gilliam complained that no security officers were present on the night of the robbery -- a situation Gilliam labeled as a "consistent problem." "They're here during the day, but at nighttime, when the chains are on the [main] doors, they leave," Gilliam said. He explained that after meeting with Spectaguard officials following the robbery, security has been stationed at the food court both during the day and at night. "Unfortunately, they reacted to an event that already happened," Gilliam said. Gilliam added that he plans to contact officials from Trammell Crow -- the company that manages most of the University's properties, including the Moravian Cafes -- to explain the situation. Friday's armed robbery is not the first at the 3401 Walnut retail complex this year. On November 8, two masked gunmen entered Mad 4 Mex and herded three employees into a locked meat freezer, eventually making off with over $1,500 in cash. The case remains unsolved.
As Bergin O'Malley trudged through the snow on a cold January day, she realized why the majority of young voters were at home in front of their televisions instead of standing next to her, waving colorful campaign posters at passersby. "The whole time I was thinking, 'Is this how we get our votes? How will this make a difference?'" the Columbia junior said, reflecting back on her New Hampshire experience volunteering for the Bill Bradley campaign. O'Malley is not alone in her revelation. Many college students across the country are trying to make their voices heard and get their peers involved. And many others say they don't care at all about who moves into the White House next year. With the first presidential election of the century looming on the horizon, students, organizations and political candidates alike are struggling to mobilize what have historically been apathetic young voters. As Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Arizona Sen. John McCain fight for the bid of the Republican Party, and Vice President Al Gore competes with former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley for the Democratic slot, many of America's students have only been watching the races from the comfort of their own homes. But while the candidates don't always agree on lowering taxes or subsidizing college education, they are all working to get young people off their couches and into the voting booths. "There are 25 million 18-24 year olds in this nation," said Andrea Jones, national youth coordinator for McCain 2000. "If they decided collectively, they could choose a candidate together and have that candidate win." It was just decades ago that college campuses were characterized as bastions of political involvement. The universities of the 1960s saw riots, sit-ins, peaceful protests and tear gassings with an eerie regularity. But since then, voter participation among 18-to-24 year olds has been steadily and significantly declining. In the 1996 presidential election, according to the coalition group Youth Vote 2000, less than one-sixth of the eligible voters in the 18-to-24 age range actually voted. And in 1998, only 15 percent of young people showed up at the polls on election day. Experts claim youth turnout is so low because politicians fail to address issues that affect young voters or to campaign through media outlets, like MTV or Cosmopolitan, that are geared toward young people. "Youth don't vote because they don't think the candidates care about them," Youth Vote 2000 spokesman John Dervin said, adding that in return, "The candidates don't target them because they don't vote." "At some point somebody needs to step forward to break this cycle," he added. This failure to communicate often means candidates do not relate issues to college students' lives, losing the interest of many potential young voters. "Perspective is key," explained Aili Langseth, youth inclusion director of Project Vote Smart, an organization designed to educate voters. "When politicians talk about the economy they usually talk about Social Security or today's prosperity," she said. "But students don't look at the economy that way. They look to see if there are going to be jobs for them when they graduate." Other experts say the problem lies not only in the message, but in the medium. Young voters feel alienated simply because candidates do not transmit their messages through youth-oriented media outlets, said Richard Thau, president of Third Millennium -- a group that aims to inspire young people to get politically involved. "What you need are ads running on the WB and Fox. You need to be putting a lot of banner ads on Internet sites that target teens," he said. Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of Southern Florida, said politicians have underestimated the power of the Internet as a way to reach young voters. "All the candidates have finally realized that this is not something you can put number five" on the priority list, she said. But, as several students and experts said, perhaps the entire process of democracy just is not suited to students' mobile lifestyles. Ryan Hayden, a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College in Southern California, recalled that last week a fellow student could not register to vote because it would jeopardize his residency status in his home state. "[He] found out that if [he] registered in California? he would have to get new license plates for his car at home," Hayden said. "The political process isn't suited for college students who move around frequently," he added. In light of these challenges, several groups are trying to convince students that, in the end, their involvement matters. One such organization, Youth Vote 2000, has brought together about 51 national organizations to prove, as their spokesman said, that "youth do care." The coalition has sponsored youth training conventions in New Hampshire and Iowa designed to teach students how to discuss issues with candidates, increase political activity at their colleges and, above all, make their voices heard, Dervin said. Neglection 2000, a project sponsored by Third Millennium, has taken a somewhat different approach. Thau said his group is trying to make the candidates use their campaign funds to target all voters, rather than just those who historically vote. "If one of the parties made a $10 million contribution to youth for the next few years, they'd see an immediate response," Dervin agreed. With New Hampshire and Iowa behind them and the Super Tuesday primaries fast approaching, the presidential frontrunners are developing strategies to get young voters in their headquarters for the final campaign stretch. All four candidates have Web sites designed to aid student volunteers in creating a campus movement to support their candidate of choice -- which, students say, are effective. "It's easy to start a group at any campus," O'Malley explained. "When I wanted to start a Bradley group at Columbia, all I had to do was go to his Web site, download a kit and follow the instructions." McCain's volunteers will be co-sponsoring voter registration "derby days" with college fraternities and sororities nationwide, pitting the greek organizations against each other in a contest to register voters, Jones said. While Gore's campaign will also challenge schools to sign up voters through a similar competition -- grouping schools by athletic conference -- Students for Gore coordinator Allison Friedman said that is not all Gore wants from young people. "We've had students in Iowa and New Hampshire canvassing, making phone calls and acting as field organizers," she said. But, in the end, it is unclear whether the candidates are doing what it takes to captivate the younger generation. Karl Von Vorys, a Penn Political Science professor, said the presidential campaigns simply are not idealistic enough to make America's youth care. "Young people like to get involved with causes -- and this is not a cause," he explained, adding that the race's lack of idealism has kept candidates from successfully reaching young voters. Regardless of organizational sway or candidates' efforts at getting young people involved, it is the students themselves that have to prove to the candidates that they are willing to get out and vote. At Penn, students have formed official student groups supporting Bush, Gore, Bradley and McCain. As part of their campaign push, each group sent supporters to volunteer at the New Hampshire primaries. College junior Beth Harkavy, one of several Penn students who traveled to the primaries to support Bradley, said the most memorable part of the weekend was spending the night in a New England Boys and Girls Club. "There were like 500 kids, and we were all crowded together in our sleeping bags," she said. "There was so much enthusiasm and spirit." That kind of energy is exactly what many politically active students, including those at Penn, want to share with their peers. College senior Patrick Ruffini, leader of Penn Students for Bush, said his group will set up a voter registration table on Locust Walk in the coming months to help with voter registration and absentee ballots. The other groups are planning similar drives. "During the fall, groups [on Locust Walk] registered more than 700 voters for the mayoral election," said Harkavy, who also helped campaign for Mayor John Street. "The mayoral election was close -- those votes mattered." And the groups provide more than just voter registration forms. They are all devoted to educating the student body about their candidates. According to College sophomore Matthew Oresman, co-chair of Bill Bradley for President at Penn, these efforts do have an impact. "The first day we were tabling for Bradley we had a girl who had formerly voted Republican come up to me and ask me why she should vote for Bill Bradley," Oresman recalled. "And we sat there and talked about it for a long time. That happens a lot. Now she comes to a lot of political events to support Bradley," he added. The success of these students will not truly be apparent until November when the effect of the youth vote -- which Ruffini has dubbed the "sleeping giant" of the upcoming election -- can accurately be assessed. "When we do come out, we can make our voices heard and really surprise people," he promised.
Members of the University community will no longer have to catch the latest episode of "Cops" to witness the ins and outs of police work. Applications are currently being accepted for the new Penn Public Safety Institute, a 12-week course intended to introduce students, faculty, staff and area residents to all aspects of the Division of Public Safety. "By learning more about what we offer, and getting to know some of the men and women who serve our community, we expect that people will better be able to use our services," Vice President for Public Safety Tom Seamon said in a press release about the course. The program will begin on January 19 and will be limited to 20 applicants -- five students, five faculty members, five staff members and five West Philadelphia residents. Admittance will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Topics covered in the weekly, two-hour sessions will include the criminal justice system, security technology, fire and occupational safety, firearms safety, victim support and domestic violence. Participants will also have the opportunity to ride along with University Police on patrol and experiment with a 3-D police firearms simulator, in addition to other hands-on training techniques. "People will get to walk in an officer's shoes," University Police Chief Maureen Rush said. Although police departments across the country run similar "citizen police academies," the focus of the Penn program is different, Rush said, because of Public Safety's large umbrella of services and programs. "It will give an overview of all the divisions within Public Safety," Rush said, rather than just the police aspect. University Police Sgt. Larry Salotti will serve as training officer for the program, and will be joined by officials across Public Safety, including supervisors, police officers and detectives.
New measures have recently been introduced to decrease the growing number of incidents. With Penn's violent crime numbers tumbling in the past few years, police have seized the opportunity to concentrate on more basic quality-of-life issues. Heading the list of these nagging issues is bike theft, which has experienced a steady increase over the past few months. According to official University Police statistics, bike thefts between September 1 and December 1 are up to 55, a nearly 20 percent increase over the same period a year ago. University Police began a "tactical operation plan" in mid-October to target the problem and teamed up with the Philadelphia Police Department a few weeks later. Together, the two groups have incorporated several different techniques to catch culprits in the act. "We want the criminals to understand that no crime is too small for us," University Police Chief Maureen Rush said. As part of the program, police continually gather statistics to determine which sections of campus are most prone to bike thefts, and then deploy plainclothes officers to patrol the highlighted areas. Already, they have seen a fair amount of success. On October 26 at around 3:30 a.m., police spotted two men lurking near several bike racks outside the high rises. The men were placed under surveillance by police and were arrested after allegedly breaking a lock and trying to pedal off with a bike. Rush explained that one of Public Safety's security cameras at the corner of 40th and Locust streets proved instrumental in the arrest, adding that the growing web of surveillance technology on campus will likely be of service in the future. "The cameras enhance our officers' ability to stay low-profile," Rush said. Police made similar arrests in early November in connection with bike thefts outside of the Wawa at 3744 Spruce Street and another theft near the corner of 34th Street and Lancaster Avenue. But despite the recent apprehensions, Rush said the thefts on and around campus could be the work of organized, multi-tier operations, making the ultimate police goal to find the "brainchild" behind the scenes. "We're not satisfied with just one or two culprits here," Rush said. "We want to cut it out at the root." University Police Det. Supervisor Bill Danks said the presence of an undercover operation also works as a deterrent once word hits the streets. "We're letting people that are interested in this kind of thing know we're watching them," Danks said. "They know we're watching them, but they don't know where we are." In the meantime, police recommend that owners register their bikes and always secure them when leaving them unattended. According to police, U-shaped locks are the most effective. Rush noted that although bike thefts seldom involve violence, the crime certainly takes a toll on its victims in other ways and can make neighborhoods feel more unsafe than they actually are. "It's unsettling if anything is stolen from someone," Rush said. "This is not a good experience for people, whether it's a $50 bike or a $5,000 bike. It's not a good feeling." And in a pedestrian community where bikes serve as an essential means of transportation, Rush said this particular type of theft can be especially frustrating for the victims. "You may as well steal their car," Rush noted.
Penn Police detectives are working in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service to track down the source of two threatening packages that were delivered to University offices last Thursday. University Police Deputy Chief of Investigations Tom King said yesterday that postal inspectors from the 30th Street Post Office have begun examining the two packages -- one of which contained a large steel meat cleaver and the other a small knife. "They'll help us with the processing part of it," King said. "They look for trace evidence. It's basically physical evidence, even minute traces of physical evidence." University Police are also coordinating with other college police forces across the country and searching online databases to see if similar packages may have been sent elsewhere. Regardless of whether investigators are ever able to crack the case, King said it will be beneficial in the long run to obtain as much information as possible about the two packages sent last week. "If nothing else, we get as much detail as we can so if it does happen again, we can link it to the other incidents," King said. A definite timetable has not been set for the investigation, but King said police would like to see some results on the physical evidence testing after the Thanksgiving break. Officials from the Philadelphia Fire Department forced a 30-minute evacuation last Thursday after a suspicious looking package was found in the College Hall office of Vice Provost for Research Ralph Amado. Once at the scene, members of the Philadelphia Police Department's bomb squad X-rayed the package and determined a large meat cleaver, and not a bomb, was inside. Amado was not in College Hall at the time. His secretary was the first to discover the package and alerted police immediately. Just a few hours later, police received a call from an office in the Law School, where a small knife was found inside a package resembling the one discovered earlier. Because Amado is the head of Penn's research activities, investigators originally believed animal rights supporters or other activists might have been responsible for the threatening packages. But because a similar package was discovered at the Law School -- a seemingly unrelated location -- they have since ruled out such a motive.
A student and a bus driver were killed on a foggy interstate early yesterday morning. An annual sightseeing trip came to a tragic halt yesterday as four buses packed with hundreds of Pennsylvania State University students crashed, killing a student and a bus driver and injuring 113 people. Severe fog is believed to be the cause of the accident, which occurred shortly before 1 a.m. yesterday morning on Interstate 80 near Wilkes-Barre in northeastern Pennsylvania. The four buses involved in the accident were part of a group of six -- chartered from the Blue and White Line of Altoona, Pa. -- returning from a day-trip to New York City. About 280 students were on board. "We offer our condolences to the families of the deceased and want to do everything possible to assist the other students who made this trip," Penn State President Graham Spanier said in a statement. Carbon County Coroner Bruce Nalesnik identified the dead student as Denise Orndorff, 23, of Ohiopyle, Pa., the Associated Press reported. Police identified the dead driver as Robert Clifford Burge, 50, of Altoona. Between 150 and 200 rescue workers responded to the crash scene, along with 25 state police officers from three different barracks. The people injured in the accident were treated at 10 area hospitals and five people remained in serious condition as of last night. "The status of the injured people ranges from mostly treated and released all the way up to the few that are in pretty bad shape," Penn State spokesperson Annemarie Mountz said. "Most of the injuries appear to have been facial injuries." A pickup truck and two cars were also involved in the accident. The conditions of those motorists were not known, Yates said. Three of the buses were in a row and crashed into each other end-to-end; another bus crashed into a guard rail at the side of the road. The two other buses that made the trip avoided the crash. Students involved in the crash said the situation was grim from the beginning. "The fog was awful," Penn State freshman Jessica Miller told the AP. "We got off the bus and we couldn't even see each other right away. We didn't realize the extent of it until we got off the bus." "I saw a girl holding her teeth in her hand. It was just unbelievable," she added. Roughly 220 of the 280 Penn State passengers had returned to the University Park, Pa., campus by yesterday afternoon. Students were greeted by Spanier and other top university officials, including representatives from Residence Life, University Health Services and Counseling and Psychological Services. Friends and some family members were also on hand. "We urged them all to call home," Mountz said. The Pennsylvania State Police at Swiftwater are currently investigating the crash. In his statement, Spanier shared his appreciation for those who helped alleviate an extremely difficult situation yesterday. "In particular, I want to thank the many emergency services personnel, police and hospital staffs throughout the northeast part of the state that jumped into action so quickly to attend to the needs of our students," Spanier said.
A meat cleaver was sent to Vice Provost Ralph Amando in College Hall. College Hall was evacuated at midday yesterday after an administrator received a threatening package originally believed to be a bomb. Just a few hours later, a similar-looking package was discovered at the Law School. Officials from the Philadelphia Fire Department forced a 30-minute evacuation at around 11:30 a.m. after a suspicious package turned up in the College Hall office of Vice Provost for Research Ralph Amado. Amado was not in the building at the time. His secretary was the first to discover package and called the police immediately. "It looked like there was something in there that couldn't be identified," University Police Deputy Chief of Investigations Tom King said. Suspicious-looking postage marks, the absence of a return address and the fact that Amado's name was misspelled helped catch the attention of Amado's staff. Once at the scene, members of the Philadelphia Police Department's bomb squad X-rayed the package and determined a large steel meat cleaver, and not a bomb, was inside. "They could see it clearly," King said. University President Judith Rodin, whose office is also in College Hall, was not in the building at the time of the evacuation. Just a few hours later, police received a call from an office at the Law School, where a small knife was found inside a package resembling the one discovered earlier. Neither package contained a letter or any other type of evidence that would indicate a possible motive. Because Amado is the head of Penn's research activities, investigators originally believed animal rights supporters or other activists might have been responsible for the threatening package. But because a similar package was sent to the Law School -- a seemingly unrelated location -- they have since ruled out such a motive. University Police detectives are working with the Philadelphia Police Department and the U.S. Postal Department on the case. If investigators determine a federal postal law was broken, the Federal Bureau of Investigation could become involved, King said. Amado acknowledged yesterday that his academic role at Penn probably places him more at risk than the average faculty member, though he has never before been the victim of a violent threat. "I have no idea if there was an intention to hurt or if this was a symbolic act of protest," Amado said. Several weeks ago, an animal rights group using the name "The Justice Department" sent booby-trapped envelopes containing razor blades to over 80 university researchers across the country. And though neither he nor anyone from Penn was on the list of targets, Amado said the arrival of a meat cleaver at his office -- regardless of the motive -- is unnerving. "We have to be on guard," Amado said. "This all made me realize how real these things are." Amado added that he was thankful nobody was hurt in the incident and awarded particular praise to his staff for recognizing a potentially dangerous package and acting quickly in response. "We should all be very pleased that they took that initiative," Amado said. University spokesperson Ken Wildes said the packages show that the University community must be aware of potential threats. "There's no question that getting a meat clever in the mail is disturbing," Wildes said. "These things are generally done by people who have lost perspective and we should view these incidents with real caution."
the officer was workin for the Drug Enforcement Agency at the time of the incident. He was not seriously hurt. A University Police officer working on special assignment with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency was injured last night after being rammed by a suspect's car in North Philadelphia. According to University spokesperson Ken Wildes, the officer was attempting to make an arrest on the 1900 block of East Boston Street at around 5:30 p.m. when the the suspect hit him with his vehicle. The officer and his unit had stopped the car minutes before. As the officer approached the car to make an arrest, the car sped away and hit the officer. Gunshots were reportedly fired at the scene but the officer was not hit by any bullets, according to Wildes. "He doesn't appear to be seriously injured," Wildes said. The officer was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he received treatment for his injuries. He was discharged several hours later at around 8:30 p.m, HUP spokesperson Rebecca Harmon said. The officer began working for the DEA about a year ago. Although the officer injured yesterday is the only member of the Penn Police force currently working on special assignment, it is not uncommon for University Police officers to work outside the department. "We cooperate with other law enforcement agencies," Wildes said. University Police frequently collaborate on cases with other organizations, including the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Wildes said that both sides benefit when a University Police officer works for another agency: the agency gets an extra employee and Penn gets back a more seasoned officer. "We get an officer back who is trained and has another set of skills," Wildes said.
The 85-year-old vuctun was taken to HUP and is expected to recover. He has been auditing one class at Penn. An 85-year-old man studying at the University was injured yesterday after being hit by a car near the David Rittenhouse Laboratory on 33rd Street, continuing a semester marred by a series of traffic-related accidents. Police said the man, who has not been identified, was struck at around 11:55 a.m. while attempting to cross 33rd Street between Walnut and Spruce streets. He was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania minutes later. The victim sustained injuries to the right side of his forehead and on his left hand but is expected to make a full recovery. "He's been admitted for overnight observation," HUP spokesperson Rebecca Harmon said. "It's just a conservative approach that lets us take care of him and observe him." University spokesperson Ken Wildes said the victim is auditing a course at Penn this semester. "He had some lacerations to the head but he is awake and talking," Wildes said. According to police officials, the man was crossing 33rd Street at a crosswalk between the tennis courts near the Palestra and Smith Walk. A woman unaffiliated with the University was driving in the left lane when she clipped the victim. Traffic in the right lane was stopped just prior to the accident. Police said the driver stopped immediately at the scene. Yesterday's incident is just the latest in a semester that has already seen several traffic-related accidents, including two deaths last month of individuals struck while riding their bicycles on campus. On October 8, 70-year-old Benjamin Tencer was struck by a car while riding his bicycle near the corner of 34th and Walnut streets. Tencer, a Philadelphia resident who was taking classes at Penn as part of a special program for senior citizens, died three days later as a result of massive head injuries sustained in the accident. And on October 19, Wharton freshman Michael Yang was killed after the bicycle he was riding collided with a large truck at the intersection of 33rd and Spruce streets. The incidents have brought bicycle safety to the forefront of campus debate. As part of an initiative known as the Philadelphia Bicycle Network, city officials have drafted plans for bicycle lanes or "bicycle-friendly" areas on major campus thoroughfares, including Chestnut, Walnut and Spruce streets. The project, planned before the recent deaths, is expected to be completed by the next academic year. Chestnut and Walnut, which are both state highways, are also expected to be resurfaced from the 3400 block to the 3800 block by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. And in response to the recent events on campus streets, University President Judith Rodin announced on Wednesday the formation of a working group to examine the issues of bicycle and pedestrian safety at Penn. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman and Vice President for Public Safety Tom Seamon are the co-chairpersons of the 11-person committee.
A rash of high-profile crimes on and near campus has led many students to fear what have been safer streets. Though University Police statistics show a significant drop in crime over the past year, some students say they feel less safe than the numbers indicate -- possibly a result of a high-profile series of recent armed robberies. "I think it's very out of control this year," Engineering sophomore Kathryn Martinez said. "It seems like it's creeping closer and closer to campus." Students passing through the lobby of Harnwell College House yesterday offered a variety of opinions on the subject of campus crime and safety. "I guess I feel unsafe because it's affected some friends of mine" this year, Engineering sophomore Evelyn Kim said. "It hits home more." College junior Laura John said that while the number of incidents does not seem to have increased during her time at Penn, crime appears to be happening across a broader spectrum of campus locations. "There is kind of a sense that something could happen anywhere," John said. "It's not just people who are drunk coming from parties that are getting robbed," College sophomore Kate Koren added. "It's anyone." But at the same time, a large number of students say they feel just as confident walking on and around campus as they ever have. "I haven't noticed any change," Engineering junior Kurt Klinger said. "I haven't felt any more or less safe or any more or less threatened." College senior Tariq Remtulla said security has never been an issue for him during his years at Penn, but he added that it never hurts to take precautions. "I don't think I've ever really felt unsafe," Remtulla said. "I'm careful where I go, but that's important everywhere." Regardless of people's stance on whether the campus is less safe than in years past, a series of relatively high-profile incidents since the start of the school year has caught the attention of most people. In early September, a group of Penn students walking on 40th Street were robbed with what was believed to be a semi-automatic weapon. A few days later, a female student was robbed at gunpoint just steps from Locust Walk. And a few weeks ago, a male University student was held up outside the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house on Spruce Street. Martinez, a resident of Harnwell College House, said the early evening robbery near AEPi helped jolt her sense of security on campus. "That was right behind where we live," she said. The University was plagued by dozens of armed robberies during the fall of 1996 -- a period that police officials have described as "hysteria" in the past. Since then, through security initiatives and economic development, campus safety has improved dramatically. An almost 70 percent decrease in the number of robberies over the past three years is one example. But in many ways, the issue of public perception has presented University Police with a different type of challenge. "It's a reality," University Police Chief Maureen Rush said. "Some people do not feel safe.? If we had the idea of why the perception is different this year, we would sleep better." Rush explained that because an armed robbery naturally sparks more public discussion than a recent police arrest, people are bound to focus on the negative. "It's extremely frustrating when someone commits a crime and it's even more frustrating when people feel like they have to fear walking down the street," Rush said. "I think it's important that people realize we're not reactionary." University Police Det. Supervisor Bill Danks agreed, citing last month's arrest of a man believed responsible for two knifepoint robberies involving Penn students this year. "We're showing results," Danks added. Though she admitted it is almost impossible to please everyone in an urban environment, Rush said that ultimately she hopes people will see "the big picture" showing crime levels down and a Division of Public Safety intent on keeping things headed in that direction. "Sometimes people forget that this is more than a college police force," Rush said. "People think that because it's campus public safety, it must be a mom-and-pop operation. It's not."
A new tool allows Penn Police to issue speeding tickets for the first time. In an effort to maintain order on busy campus thoroughfares, the University Police Department has armed itself with a new tracking device that allows officers to give out speeding tickets for the first time. Police have long been frustrated by a law that prohibits the use of speed-detecting radar in the City of Philadelphia. But the new device purchased late last month computes drivers' speeds without using radar technology, paving the way for more effective enforcement of city speed limits. The issues of pedestrian safety and driver responsibility took on increased significance after a Penn undergraduate and an elderly man taking University courses died weeks ago in separate traffic accidents on campus. And though the problem is multi-faceted, University Police hope that targeting speeders will provide part of the solution. "It's going to be a good device for us, helping drivers slow down as they approach pedestrian traffic," said officer Frank Guille, one of the University Police officers currently using the tracker. No bigger than an alarm clock, the speed tracker is mounted on the dashboard of a police cruiser and calculates the average speed of passing cars based on time and distance. Officers using the tracker park at a specific location and select two stationary objects as points of reference. When a car passes by the first point, the officer switches on the tracker. After the car travels past the second point, the officer switches off the tracker. The device then automatically calculates the car's average speed based on the distance between the two objects and the time it took the car to travel between them. If a car is found to be traveling above the designated limit -- 35 miles per hour on most campus streets -- a second police car stationed further up the street will pull over the motorist. Regulations state that cars clocked with the tracker must be traveling 10 miles per hour over the speed limit for a ticket to be issued. A person driving 50 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone would receive a ticket of $123. During a brief police demonstration near the intersection of 34th and Walnut streets, one car was clocked at 64 miles per hour, which would have resulted in a $171 fine. Most cars were found to be traveling at about 45 miles per hour during the demonstration. University Police Lt. Tom Messner said that Walnut Street is an area of particular concern. "One of the reasons we chose this section is because a lot of people use it to enter the campus area," Messner said. "And we want to control their speed here, so it doesn't continue near 37th, 38th and 39th streets, where there is a lot of foot traffic." Police are also working with city officials to have lines painted on certain campus streets, which would eliminate the need for police to manually measure a distance each time they use the tracker. The lines would also help deter speeding, since motorists will recognize that they are entering a speed zone, Messner said. Guille said that many of the motorists he has stopped with the tracker have shared a sense of disbelief about their careless driving habits. "Most people are surprised they were going as fast as they were," Guille said. "And the second thing they'll say is 'How did you know?'" And while speeding drivers may not be exactly thrilled about receiving a pricey ticket, Messner said the ultimate goal of the new police initiative is to maintain order for both the people on the streets and those behind the wheel. "We're not here to make money on the people," Messner said. "We're here to make the streets safe."
Kevin King, 43, of West Philadelphia, confessed to 10 on-campus thefts. A West Philadelphia man arrested several weeks ago has been linked to an extensive on-campus theft and burglary ring, University Police officials said yesterday. On October 28 at about 10 a.m., University Police officers apprehended Kevin King, 43, after he allegedly stole several items from the Duhring Wing building at 236 S. 34th Street. Police plan to obtain arrest warrants for three other people from North Philadelphia also believed to be involved. "It was a ring of burglaries operating out of Penn," University Police Det. Supervisor Bill Danks said. According to Danks, King was taken to the Philadelphia Police Department's Southwest Detectives Bureau at 55th and Pine streets where he confessed to 10 thefts and burglaries at three campus facilities -- including Duhring, Hayden Hall at 3320 Smith Walk and the Towne Building at 220 S. 33rd Street. After interrogation, King directed both Penn and Philadelphia Police detectives to two adjacent residences on the 2300 block of Colorado Street in North Philadelphia. Based on King's information, police obtained search warrants for the locations and found a slew of electronic equipment and tools believed to be stolen from the Penn campus. Among the items seized were several computers, laptops, televisions and cameras, as well as a large quantity of power tools believed to have been stolen from construction sites on campus. The evidence was successfully connected to Penn when a University employee positively identified his laptop computer at the Southwest Detectives Bureau. Danks added that as a result of the discovery King will be charged with additional counts of theft and burglary. Some of the seized items are believed to have been stolen from the Drexel University campus as well, and University Police are currently working with Drexel's security force on the case. Danks said that anyone who is missing property from the three campus buildings can contact officials at the Southwest Detectives Bureau to see if any of the stolen items are theirs. The telephone number of the bureau is 215-686-3183. King's arrest comes less than a month after University Police nabbed a man responsible for a series of burglaries at the University City Science Center on Market Street. In that case, West Philadelphia resident Robert Brunson, 38, was caught by police and security officers after allegedly attempting to break into a Science Center building on the 3600 block of Market Street. He later confessed to 10 similar burglaries.
No one was hurt in the fire on 41st Street. The blaze has been ruled an accident. Smashed windows, melted electronic equipment and a few charred couches littered the bottom floor of an off-campus student residence after a fire gutted the insides last night. Philadelphia Fire Department officials said the blaze on the 400 block of South 41st Street was caused by cooking equipment in the kitchen at around 8:47 p.m., and was extinguished 10 minutes later. The three Penn students who live in the residence were not home at the time and nobody was injured in the fire. The blaze primarily struck the first-floor living room and kitchen area, though sections of the upstairs levels sustained heavy heat and smoke damage. Dark soot covered the walls and ceiling and rubble covered the floor. In the hours following the fire, the apartment's occupants and their friends carried out a few charred items that managed to survive the fire. "Everything in the house is ruined," said College senior Nick Tripician, who lives in the apartment. "Nothing is salvageable. The common room is done, completely melted." Engineering senior Lewis Goettner, who also lives at the Campus Apartments-owned residence, said he received a phone call from a friend alerting him to the situation. "We ran over here and the firemen were smashing out all the windows," Goettner said last night. "The fire was out when we got here." Goettner explained that along with losing furniture, an entertainment center and other personal items in the fire, his cat is missing from the residence. Firemen at the scene told him the brown, tiger-striped cat leaped out of the apartment but could not be found last night. "I don't think it has really set in yet," Goettner said. "I'll probably be fine until tomorrow." The apartment's residents said they were offered assistance from the American Red Cross but have chosen to stay with friends in the interim. David Adelman, president of Campus Apartments, said he was told by fire fighters at the scene that the cause of the blaze was a stove left running. Although he said he's happy a tragedy was averted, Adelman said he wishes his residents would be more careful. "I'm glad no one got hurt," Adelman said. "But people have to be a little more aware of what they're doing. Carelessness is the biggest cause of these fires in my buildings." Adelman estimated that it would cost $50,000 to repair the apartment, which is one of about 130 in the Campus Apartments stock. He said renovations will start as soon as possible. "I'll take money out of my pocket and redo it," Adelman said. "It will be a completely new place."
Three Penn students were robbed in two separate off-campus incidents this weekend, according to University Police. At around midnight on Friday morning, two University students were walking on 43rd Street between Locust and Spruce streets when they were approached by a man who flashed a handgun and demanded that the couple hand over their belongings. The suspect was described as a black male in his 20s, 5'10", weighing between 145 and 150 pounds. At the time of the robbery, he was wearing a dark knit ski mask, a multi-colored sweater and dark pants. He fled on foot, traveling south on 43rd Street. Neither student was physically injured during the robbery. They were taken to the Philadelphia Police Department's Southwest Detectives Bureau at 55th and Pine streets for questioning. Information about the items taken was not available last night. In the second weekend incident, a female student walking on 43rd Street between Spruce and Pine streets at around 5 a.m. was approached by a man who grabbed her purse and ran south on 43rd Street. Police said that a weapon was not used in the robbery. The victim described the suspect as a black male in his 20s, 5'5" with a stocky build. At the time of the robbery, he was wearing a white T-shirt with a design on the front. The victim also said her attacker had a noticeable scratch on his forehead. Items inside the purse included $10 in cash, a PennCard and several credit cards. The victim, who was not hurt during the robbery, was questioned by police at 55th and Pine streets. Police are still investigating several other armed robberies on campus since the start of the school year. Late last month, a male University student was held at gunpoint on the corner of 40th and Spruce streets. On September 12, a female Penn student was robbed at gunpoint while walking on 36th Street between Van Pelt Library and the Castle. And just a few days before that, five University students walking on 40th Street between Chestnut and Walnut streets were robbed with a semi-automatic weapon.
The Penn campus and its surrounding neighborhoods are more at risk for violent crime than any other Ivy League school, and rank 41st overall among colleges and universities across the nation, according to a controversial study released yesterday. University officials have down-played the significance of the report, which is only a prediction based on a wide variety of socioeconomic factors, crime statistics and a census sample. Using a mathematical formula, researchers from the New York-based APBnews.com and the Exton, Pa.-based CAP Index Inc. concluded that Penn has the most at-risk campus neighborhoods in the Ivy League, followed by Columbia, Yale, Brown, Harvard, Cornell, Dartmouth and Princeton. On a national level, Penn found itself ranked 41st out of the country's 1,497 four-year colleges and universities, all of which were tested. Homicides, rapes and robberies were the only crimes taken into account. Fels Center of Government Director Lawrence Sherman, who specializes in criminology, was highly critical of the methodology behind the findings. "This is really a very misleading type of exercise," Sherman said, pointing out that the study is not a compilation of crime statistics but instead a prediction of potential crime trends. One of the major problems, Sherman said, was that the APBnews.com/CAP Index report examined a geographical area much larger than Penn's campus. The study looked at neighborhoods within a three-mile radius of College Hall -- stretching into North and South Philadelphia and as far east as the Delaware River. In contrast, the main portion of the University Police patrol area spans west to 43rd Street, south to Woodland Avenue, east to 30th Street and north to Market Street. Sherman, who lives several blocks north of campus, said that if the neighborhoods surrounding Penn were as dangerous as the study says they are, he would have serious concerns about his own safety. "I ought to be lying awake in my bed waiting to be murdered," Sherman joked. But APBnews.com's Robert Port, who wrote several of the reports, defended his company's findings. "It's just like a polling firm trying to predict an election," he said. He explained that the first-ever rankings account for statistics like the number of single family heads of household, household income, average level of education, real estate value and population density of the particular neighborhoods in question. Vice President for Public Safety Thomas Seamon deferred questions about the report to University spokesperson Ken Wildes. Wildes said that although the report was made public yesterday, University President Judith Rodin was first notified of the results in late August. Wildes acknowledged that Penn officials were not happy with the news but emphasized the need to take the incredibly broad findings "with a grain of salt." "I think most of our students come here understanding that an urban environment presents challenges and opportunities," Wildes said. "I think the opportunities outweigh the challenges." Standing by his report, Port offered a reason as to why Penn and other institutions around the country have expressed discontent with the list. APBnews.com's World Wide Web site, where the report is posted, also published complaints from officials at Harvard, Columbia, Georgia Tech and several other schools in a special response section. "It's bad news and people don't like to hear bad news," Port said. "What I would say is that they should look at the news and not attack the messenger.? Nobody should use this information alone, but they should check it out." CAP Index Inc. -- the company responsible for much of the statistical analysis in yesterday's report -- is headed by Robert Figlio, a former professor of criminology at Penn. Sherman warned that if people do not fully understand the report's somewhat convoluted results, the University's image could be unnecessarily tarnished. "The danger is simply that you give people bad information," Sherman said.
Several items were taken from Eisenlohr Hall, the president's official house. Eisenlohr Hall, the home of University President Judith Rodin, was burglarized during the day Monday, according to University Police. Penn Police Chief Maureen Rush said yesterday that the incident is being investigated as a theft. According to the University Police log book, the theft was reported at around 7 p.m. on Monday and occurred between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. that day. "Items were discovered missing from President Rodin's personal residence," Rush said last night. Police were unusually tight-lipped about the incident, refusing to disclose how the residence was broken into, whether there was anyone inside at the time or what was taken. Eisenlohr, the traditional home of the Penn president, is located at 3812 Walnut Street. Jennifer Baldino, the director of external affairs for the president's office, referred requests for comment to University spokesperson Ken Wildes, who said he could not provide any additional information.
Seeking to join a select group of law enforcement agencies across the country, the University of Pennsylvania Police Department has completed more than three-quarters of its national accreditation process, and will likely wrap things up during the summer of 2000. Accreditation Manager Lt. Gary Heller took the reins of the University Police operation in June and is hoping to steer Pennsylvania's largest private police force past the 439 individual standards necessary to become certified by the Fairfax, Va.-based Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, also known as CALEA. Though more and more police forces are discovering the benefits of becoming nationally recognized -- including improved operations and efficiency, higher morale and monetary savings on insurance and lawsuits -- just 22 of the 464 collegiate police departments in the United States are accredited. And by undertaking the project, which began more than two years ago, the 104-member Penn Police force looks to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack. University Police officials first explored the accreditation process in 1996 and officially began working on the project during the spring of 1997. To become certified, University Police must examine the department head-to-toe and amend any areas -- from patrol procedures to budgets to finance to equipment -- that do not match CALEA standards. "It really runs the gambit of the entire operation of the police department," Heller noted. Much of the benefit of accreditation comes from this process, as it forces officials to examine every aspect of their operation and look for potential areas of improvement. In many cases, existing University Police policies and procedures needed little alteration but Heller acknowledged having to "reinvent the wheel" in a handful of areas. But if all goes according to plan, University Police will finish making changes during the spring and will undergo a mock assessment, allowing officials to discover any potential areas of weakness before a team from CALEA arrives for the real evaluation. Should the department eventually become certified, it will submit to additional evaluations every three years -- a fact that will help ensure the Penn Police force remains on its toes. "The whole reason you do accreditation is not just for the sake of being accredited by the CALEA foundation," University Police Chief Maureen Rush said. "In fact, you do it to continually professionalize the department." Heller said he was particularly impressed with the positive response from people involved with the program. "It instills in the officers a sense of pride that they are working for a department that has met these standards and is striving to achieve a high level of operation," Heller said. Because of the prestige that comes with being accredited, the UPPD's ability to attract better officers will likely increase.