Over baked and breaded fish, collared cabbage, hushpuppies, and mac 'n' cheese with a kosher twist, Penn students contemplated how issues within their own communities have the ability to transcend borders. In honor of Black History Month, the Penn Israel Coalition and the Black Student League held its third-annual Kosher Soul Food Dinner yesterday in Houston Hall.

Be it mimicking CSI investigators or swinging to the beat, undecided undergraduates trying to pick majors or minors will have more options to choose from come fall semester. The School of Arts and Sciences' curriculum committee, comprised of College professors, met yesterday to discuss its recommendation for a Criminology major and Jazz Studies minor.

Theft Feb. 15 - Zachary Galen, 23 and unaffiliated with the University, was arrested at about 5:05 p.m. after he allegedly removed items from the Penn Bookstore, located at the intersection of 36th and Walnut streets. Feb. 15 - A complainant unaffiliated with the University reported that a laptop worth about $1,900 was removed from an unsecured conference room at 3535 Market St.

Twenty years ago, The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program started with a simple premise - offer up-and-coming artists new canvas space, and they would transform the city's struggling neighborhoods. Now, murals from South Philly to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge have been credited as a key part of the city's revival.

Former Wharton professor Scott Ward pled guilty in federal court yesterday to producing child pornography for importation into the United States. Ward, who has been held in custody since August, is scheduled for sentencing May 11. His trial was expected to begin in Alexandria, Va. Ward's charge carries a sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison, according to a press release issued by the U.S. District Attorney's Office in Virginia.

The University is now part of a computer network so blazingly fast, it could make DSL feel like the telegraph. This month, Penn's MAGPI regional high-speed Internet gateway was connected to a private high-speed nationwide network called the Internet2 Network.

The Hey Day working group announced that, despite talks of canceling the 91-year-old Penn tradition, Hey Day will indeed take place this year on April 20.

With fresh ingredients purchased from local vendors and unfussy preparation, Farmicia brings a touch of country living to the heart of Philadelphia. Located on 3rd Street, the restaurant offers a distinct Old City feel despite its relatively modern decor.

Mark Bowden is a living example of how you don't have to write fiction to create a great story. Bowden, author of the bestselling book Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War, visited the Kelly Writers House yesterday afternoon. He was invited by professor Dick Polman for his Advanced Journalistic Writing Class.

Gary Onufer is flat-lining, and he's never been happier. Last Monday, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania made the 46-year-old former fitness instructor the first person in the Northeastern United States to receive a Total Artificial Heart, a cutting-edge "Bridge to Transplant" technology that will keep him alive until he finally gets a heart - and a heartbeat - of his own.

Talks between the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and community leaders to move the Wine and Spirits store, located near the intersection of 41st and Market streets, are ongoing, according to officials familiar with the negotiations. The PLCB, which regulates all liquor sales in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is looking to lease the retail space of the already-vacated Rite Aid located at 4237 Walnut St.

At Penn, the adage "only the good die young" was never more true than when Tony Luke's closed last August at 3716 Spruce Street. After one ephemeral, whiz-soused year, the cheesesteak-and-sandwich joint was scraped from the plates of Quad freshman because of low sales, particularly in Penn Dining Dollars.

The Undergraduate Assembly spent Sunday night gearing up for next week's annual budget meeting. Every year, the UA receives money - a percentage of the general fee in student tuition - to allocate to themselves and four other branches of student government: the Nominations and Elections Committee, the Social Planning and Events Committee, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and the Class Boards.

PENN On Feb. 19, 2003, the University and Penn Law School Dean Michael Fitts signed individual "friend of the court" briefs to submit to the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of the University of Michigan's affirmative action admissions policy. The policy, challenged in the Supreme Court at the time, established race as a factor in admissions.

Don't be put off by the seemingly French name - Le Castagne offers Old World Italian with a modern and almost distinctly Philadelphian taste. Located on an otherwise-quiet block at 19th and Chestnut streets - castagne means chestnut in Italian - the restaurant greets you with pleasant lighting and a friendly seating hostess.

Last week, he was announcing his candidacy for mayor. This week, he was behind bars. Milton Street, older brother of Mayor John Street and Democratic mayoral candidate, spent several hours in jail yesterday after he was arrested for unpaid traffic fines in Moorestown, N.

If you are a vegetarian with a dainty appetite, Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian steak house, is not for you. But if you like your meat, Fogo de Chao will be your culinary nirvana. For a fixed price ($44.50), each diner receives a paper disc with a red side and a green side.