The candidates are back and Pennsylvania is once again a battleground state in the fight for the presidency - one that presumptive Republican nominee John McCain doesn't plan to concede anytime soon. McCain held a town hall meeting at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia yesterday, marking the beginning of his effort to win Pennsylvania in the general election this fall.

Outgoing Penn seniors Jesse Carlin and Mike Hall of the track and field teams were honored Monday as Academic All-District by the College Sports Information Directors of America. They are two of the Ivy League's 15 honorees this spring, bringing the school year's total to 81.

Softball co-captain Christina Khosravi had already been named co-Ivy Player of the Year and was a unanimous selection to the All-Ivy First Team. But she hadn't had enough. On Monday, the graduated senior was named a Second-team Easton All-American. Khosravi was a standout for the Quakers all season, hitting .

Almost three years after the Hurricane Katrina disaster, New Orleans is still rebuilding and requires both resources and help - and members of the Penn community are providing them. Twenty-five Penn faculty and staff volunteers went to New Orleans last week to help with the reconstruction effort by working on a Habitat for Humanity construction site for five days.

The NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships are already underway, and the three Quakers representatives are doing their best to make an impact. While graduated senior Jesse Carlin will continue on to the semis in her event - the 800-meter run - tomorrow, her fellow Quakers struggled today at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Penn, West Philadelphia and Center City provide myriad tasty options for the conscientious eater

This summer, a Penn research team will travel to China to determine whether a drug that relieves heroin withdrawal symptoms can also be the stepping stone in a new effort to cure HIV. Penn Director of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Division David Metzger said that this one-year program plans to test a new approach to treating heroin addiction.

DPS's continued work toward campus safety reassures those still here

Provost Ronald Daniels and Associate Provost Vincent Price announced on Monday that Charles Howard will take over the position of University Chaplain effective July 1. Howard has served as interim chaplain since February 2008 and Associate Chaplain since 2005.

Campus facilities' reduced summer hours make daily activities more difficult.

Theft June 1 - Joseph Robinson, 36, unaffiliated with the University, was arrested for allegedly leaving the Penn Bookstore, located at 3601 Walnut St., without paying for merchandise valued at $150, at about 7:30 p.m. May 31 - A male unaffiliated with the University reported that an unknown suspect broke a window to his secured car and removed a laptop, camera and other personal items, valued at $3500, on the 4000 block of Pine St.

Philadelphians affected by the mortgage foreclosure crisis now have more options, thanks to a new public outreach program from Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Nutter unveiled the Philadelphia Mortgage Foreclosure Protection Program on Tuesday. The plan aims to help struggling Philadelphians hold onto their homes.

With gas prices still on the rise and many Philadelphia residents choosing to leave their cars at home, SEPTA is stepping up to the challenge of satisfying an increasing number of customers. In response to this higher demand, SEPTA has implemented a series of new initiatives to accommodate the heavy increase in ridership.

This weekend, the men's track and field team travelled to Tallahassee, Fla. for the NCAA East Regionals, hoping for successful performances and, perhaps, an invitation or two to the NCAA Championships next week. All any member of the team is leaving with is a tan.

Former Wharton undergraduate Irina Malinovskaya pleaded no contest today to manslaughter charges in the death of Iriana Zlotnikov, her ex-boyfriend's then-girlfriend, according to the Associated Press. By pleading no contest, Malinovskaya is not admitting guilt but is conceding that there is enough evidence for a conviction.

When it was conceived in 2004, Wireless Philadelphia was considered a ground-breaking way to put Philadelphia a step ahead of other U.S. cities in the field of technology. Now, however, the organization is - at best - on shaky footing. A press release from Wireless Philadelphia announced that Earthlink, the company operating Wireless Philadelphia, is breaking their contract and discontinuing its operation of the municipal wi-fi network in Philadelphia.

In the largest capital gift to the "Making History" fund-raising campaign, Anne and Jerome Fisher announced a $50 million donation to the University Tuesday for the establishment of the Anne and Jerome Fisher Translational Research Center. "Anne and I love Penn and we have long felt that investing in this world-class university is investing in the future of humankind itself," said Jerome Fisher to Penn Communications.