Brown and White Vol. 117 no. 16

              By MEGAN HANKS
This year, Fritz Laboratory, home to the civil and environ­mental engineering depart­ments, turns 100 years old.
As part of the centennial celebration, several sessions and events took place between last Thursday and last Saturday to unite students, alumni, fac­ulty and staff by participating in events that may impact the future of Fritz Lab.
The reception that took place on Thursday afternoon was a success, said Stephen Pessiki, chair of the department of civil and environmental engineering. During the recep­tion, alumni had the oppor­tunity to catch up before the following events.
On Friday morning, several speakers from the engineering and history departments spoke to about 120 people about John Fritz’s impact on Lehigh. “The speakers on Friday morning did a great job helping us look back 100 years and forward 100 years,” Pessiki said.
Friday afternoon partici­pants engaged in a design cha­rette program session. Approxi­mately 50 students and alumni got into groups of about five to seven people and were pre­sented with a set of guidelines that they used to redesign Fritz Lab for the future.
The goal was to best utilize the building and create office space for the department chairs and other people whose offices will remain in Fritz Lab, even after some of the department is moved to the STEPS build­ing. The session lasted for four hours, Pessiki said.
Pessiki said he was very pleased with what he saw hap­pening during the charette program. “I think it’s going great,” he said. “I’m seeing a lot of hand raising and chin scratching, no blank stares. I’m enthused.”
“The design charette pro­gram exceeded my expecta­tions,” Pessiki said.
Students came up with dif­ferent ideas and models for how Fritz Lab could look in the future, even 100 years from now. These ideas and drafts were displayed on Saturday
See FRITZ Page 4
B&W photo by MIKE COPPES
An impersonator of John Fritz , left, meets Stephen Pessiki, chair of the department of civil and environmental engineering.
Fritz Lab celebrates its 100th birthday
Vol. 117 No. 16
Friday, October 30, 2009
‘All the Lehigh News First’
THE BROWN AND WHITE
Lehigh University’s Student Newspaper Founded in 1894
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LIFESTYLE
Students react to neighborhood deaths
By DEBBIE PEARSALL
Many off-campus residents have found themselves searching for informa­tion after the bodies of two Bethlehem residents were found dead in their apart­ment just two blocks from campus last Friday.
Necca Gual, 31, and Sharon Beli­saire, 60, whose names were released by Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysak on Monday, were found in their first floor apartment at 552 Montclair Ave. at 12:40 p.m. by a home health care worker, according to Lt. Joseph Kimock of the Bethlehem Police Department.
Steph Deluca, ’11, who lives in close proximity to the apartment, watched the investigation begin from outside.
“I spoke to one of the firemen and he confirmed that two had passed, and about an hour later I asked one of the policemen if it was safe,” she said.
Deluca said she was unnerved because the police would not give her an answer.
“I just wanted a yes or a no, but he wouldn’t even give me that,” Deluca said. “When you see crime scene units, six cop cars and three fire trucks parked outside your house, you’re generally going to freak out.”
The cause of death is pending, and the autopsies and toxicology reports of the two women, who are unrelated, may not be available for several weeks, according to Lysak.
Lysak did not confirm that foul play had been ruled out, though the Express-Times reported that officials had ruled out a carbon monoxide leak.
The inconclusive reports about the incident seem to be the cause of nervous­ness amongst students, as well as the lack of contact from the Lehigh Police Department.
There was no safety bulletin issued regarding the incident.
J.J. Woolley, ’10, a Montclair resident, said he was curious as to why no safety bulletin was issued.
“I am actually quite surprised that at least the regular safety alert wasn’t sent out,” Woolley said. “There is usually a quick turn-around between crimes hap­pening and the campus being made aware of it. This is something that the entire campus should be made aware of as soon as possible.”
Lauranne Kline, ’10, a Montclair resi­dent, was also worried about the absence of a safety bulletin.
“I would like to know if there is a potential killer on the loose,” Kline said. “Knowing that the police have released a statement makes me feel a little safer and have the confidence in them to know
n After the victims’ identities were revealed, students are still anxious about the incident.
See DEATHS Page 6
Forum panel discusses casino’s local effects
By AUTUMN GOULD
The Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem was met with both praise and criticism from commu­nity members at an open forum last Thursday.
More than 100 residents gath­ered at the Fowler Family Center at Northampton Community Col­lege on Third Street for a televised town hall meeting to share opin­ions and to hear about the future of Sands Casino from a panel of six officials, analysts and organiza­tion leaders.
Community members ex­pressed the idea that since the ca­sino was here to stay, they wanted to know how it would affect Beth­lehem and surrounding towns.
The most successful aspect of Sands was the creation of 1,000 permanent jobs, said Robert De­Salvio, president of Sands Bethle­hem and panel member, but he admitted that the casino opened at a very rough time economically.
The construction of the ho­tel, mall and events center is at a standstill and DeSalvio said the continuation of the project depends on the economy. The Sands needs about $100 million to finish construction and getting the money hinges on the health of the credit market, DeSalvio said.
“We are committed to finish all the projects,” he said.
Part of the reason Sands is strapped for funds is that slot ma­chines have not been bringing in as much revenue as predicted.
“From an investor’s perspec­tive, the facility is underperform­ing,” said Robert LaFleur, a gam­ing analyst from Susquehanna Financial Group and member of the panel. “The machines are making $200 per slot each day, and they were expected to make $300.”
The approval of table games by the state of Pennsylvania would boost revenue for the ca­sino and help get the hotel project moving again, as well as create six new jobs for each table in the casino, DeSalvio said.
Doug Reichley, state represen­tative of Lehigh County and panel member, said legislation involv­ing table games will be done by Thanksgiving, and if approved as expected, Sands patrons could be playing table games by April.
Concerning the approval of table games, both positive and negative effects were discussed.
“The Sands has the closest slots, and possibly table games, to New York City. We will see lots of limos with New York license plates coming in here, which would be a positive thing for tour­ism,” Reichley said.
Sal Panto Jr., mayor of Easton, said table games would support a different kind of clientele than slot machines — clientele who will leave the casino and invest money in surrounding communities.
The Rev. David Wickmann, panelist and president of the Moravian Church Northern Prov­ince, said he was concerned about increased addiction to gambling with the approval of table games.
See CASINO Page 3