800,000Uninsured Pennsylvanians to be covered under Governor Rendell's health-insurance initiative. Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

With the help of the Undergraduate Assembly, high-rise dwellers may be a step closer to getting faster elevators. At its meeting last night, the UA passed a proposal - authored by UA member Enoch Arthur-Asmah, a College freshman - urging the University to "fully investigate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of upgrading the high-rise elevators" in Harrison and Harnwell college houses.

Rushing a sorority as a sophomore is rare, but for many of those who do, the experience is ultimately rewarding.

WAYNE, Pa. - The only thing that distinguishes 670 Forest Rd. from the surrounding houses is a cross made out of evergreen branches on the front lawn. As you get closer, you can make out dried flowers spilling out of small vases, burned-out candles and two stuffed animals - one pink, one purple. A sign reads: "Ellen may you be at peace. Love your friends."

The Department of City and Regional Planning - part of the University's School of Design - has been ranked No. 5 in the U.S., University officials announced last week. It was additionally ranked No.3 in the Northeast in an independent, nationwide survey distributed to professionals, educators and students, who were asked to name the top urban-planning graduate schools in the country.

Over the last year, anti-casino neighborhood groups have been fuming - mostly at the state for legalizing slots parlors across Pennsylvania and at the city for not doing more to stop their placement in Philadelphia. Now, the groups' ire is turning to Penn Praxis, the consulting arm of Penn's School of Design that was brought in to be above the very political fray that has already involved both city and state officials.

One of Penn's unstated institutions, Floyd Johnson has danced his way through traffic for a decade. The Penn policeman - who has been directing cars and waltzing across the intersection of 36th and Walnut streets since 1997 - is set to retire in January 2008, denying the campus of one of its most enduring characters.

By David Bernstein Staff Writer davidkb@sas.upenn.edu Freshman guard Darren Smith's torn labrum wasn't supposed to derail Penn's game plan against La Salle last night, but it almost did. He had missed several practices after suffering an injury to his shoulder against Seton Hall last month, and didn't log any minutes in the first half after being labeled day-to-day by coach Glen Miller.

Deciding course schedules based solely on times ignores the unique night courses Penn has to offer

Penn might not have played too many games like this in the last four years. But that doesn't mean Ibrahim Jaaber hasn't. The senior guard played plenty as fast as this one at Penn and in his previous basketball life. "Playing in the parks back home - that's the pace we play at," Jaaber said.

Want to get up close and personal with sophomore class president Brett Perlmutter? Looking for a stop watch that counts down until spring break? Then head over to Penn09.com. Launched by the sophomore class board on Tuesday night, the site - which is open to anyone and does not require a login or password - features details of upcoming sophomore events, photos and announcements.

If you missed New Year's Eve, want to learn how to turn vegetables into animals or just want to see papier-mache lions parade around in front of the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, mark your calendars. Penn will hold its 26th annual Chinese New Year celebration this Saturday at the Museum, ringing in the Year of the Pig with area residents, honored guests and special events all day long.

If you've ever craved a caramel macchiato or a chai tea latte at 2 a.m., your prayers have been answered: Starbucks on 34th and Walnut streets is now open all night long. On Jan. 8, the local Starbucks officially became the first 24-hour location in all of the Philadelphia metro area, and only the fourth of this type in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey regions.

Stephen Schultz is a College senior from Massillon, Ohio. His e-mail address is sno@sas.upenn.edu.

What does a team do against a severely overmatched opponent? If that team is Penn men's squash, it pushes down on the gas pedal just as hard as ever. This Saturday, the No. 4 Quakers (6-0) will head to nearby Lancaster, Pa. to face No. 17 Franklin & Marshall (6-6).

By Molin Zhong Staff Writer molin@sas.upenn.edu Bend, but don't break. It's a regularly used cliche, but in this case it also describes the men's and women's fencing teams. Coming into the Philadelphia Invitational Multi-Meet against Rutgers, Johns Hopkins, and Vassar, tomorrow at Haverford, Pa.

The end of last semester left the United Minorities Council - the umbrella organization for dozens of Penn's minority groups - without a leader. On Wednesday night, however, after a two-hour election, the group finally found the person it was looking for: College sophomore Efe Johnson.