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A Half Million Dollars in Taxpayer Money Went Missing in a Penns Valley Township
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our north-central Pa. newsletter, Talk of the Town, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. SPRING MILLS — More than a half million dollars in taxpayer money is missing from a Centre County township, and local officials say it might have been misappropriated. A suspended employee “appears to have been involved in a series of transactions that resulted in large amounts of money being spent from township accounts,” an attorney speaking on behalf of Gregg Township told the public Thursday. Officials...
Penn State Tight End Tyler Warren Tabbed to Mackey Award Watch List
Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is on the short list for a premier postseason award. Warren has been named to the preseason watch list for the Mackey Award, given annually to the nation’s top tight end. His selection comes after tallying 34 receptions for 422 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns en route to a third-team All-Big Ten honor last season. It was a big deal when Warren announced his return for a senior season, foregoing an early NFL Draft entry. And for good reason. Warren is arguably quarterback Drew Allar’s top receiving target in 2024, and his numbers should only...
Flood Watch in Effect Until Friday Evening for Centre County
The National Weather Service at State College issued a flood warning until 12:30 p.m. on Friday in Centre County and a watch remains in effect until 6 p.m. after heavy rains from Tropical Storm Debby pounded the area. Localized flooding has been reported around the county. PennDOT reported the following road closures due to flooding: Upper Georges Valley Road between Bible and Egg Hill roads in Potter Township is closed until at least 4 p.m. Penns Creek Road between Beaver Dam and Coburn roads in Penn Township is closed until at least 4 p.m. Chestnut Grove Road/Bush Hollow Road between Bald Eagle...
Penn State Safety Kevin Winston Jr. ‘Totally Locked In,’ Emulating Hero Sean Taylor
On the field, Penn State safety Kevin Winston Jr. was not like many of the kids he grew up playing with in Columbia, Maryland. He was twitchy and agile and could stop the run better than anyone his size. Winston did, however, share one thing in common with the rest of the neighborhood youth: a love for Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor. Winston still watches Taylor’s highlights. In fact, Winston emulates his game after him. And recently, shades of greatness have been popping up throughout the preseason. It’s no longer becoming a far-fetched dream to make an impact similar to that...
Final Plan Approved for New Hotel Near Shiloh Road
College Township Council recently approved a final land development plan for an extended-stay hotel to be located near Shiloh Road. The 115-room Home2 Suites by Hilton, which is being developed by State College-based Hospitality Asset Management Company, will be the first development in the planned Shiloh Commercial Park near the intersection of Shiloh and East Trout roads, next to Maxwell Truck and Equipment. Council unanimously approved the land development plan at its Aug. 1 meeting, about two weeks after College Township Planning Commission recommended conditional approval. Earlier this summer, council approved a final subdivision plan for phase 1 of the commercial park. The plan subdivides...
No-Cost Produce Market Continues to Help the Community
This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette. STATE COLLEGE — Fresh produce is an important part of everyone’s diet. The State College Food Bank offers a No-Cost Produce Market for the Centre County community, providing fresh produce to people who cannot afford it. The market, started four years ago by the State College Food Bank, occurs at the Nittany Mall. Four events have already taken place this summer, and will take place again on: Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 Tuesday, Sept 10, 2024 Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024 The idea for the market came about during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when...
New Video Shows Pa. Officer’s Tense Encounter with Trump Shooter Before Assassination Attempt
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — New police body cam footage shows the dramatic moment a local Pennsylvania police officer saw a shooter on the roof just before the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump last month. A dozen body- and dash-camera videos obtained by Spotlight PA from the Butler Township Police Department show the sequence of events as seen by local officers from 6 p.m. July 13, just 11 minutes before the shooting, until about...
Penn State Practice Observations: Former Players Are Everywhere
There was a common theme among offensive coaches at Penn State’s practice on Thursday. Andy Kotelnicki, Ja’Juan Seider, Danny O’Brien and Marques Hagans were sleeveless. It’s not exactly clear why, but it sure made for a fun gimmick. O’Brien laughed with Seider as the offense ran drills, adding light to what was a gloomy afternoon outside. James Franklin kept his sleeves intact, but made a fashion statement of his own. He wore a blue and white long sleeve with “Football Heaven” written across the chest as he rotated among position groups, taking a prolonged look at his quarterbacks and wide receivers. “Let’s...
Garth Brooks Congratulates Grange Fair on 150th Anniversary
As the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair celebrates its 150th year this month, it received a congratulatory message a performer who once graced its grandstand stage before becoming one of the biggest stars in the history of country and American popular music. Garth Brooks, who performed at the Grange Fair in 1990 just as his popularity began to explode, recorded the brief video message that was posted on the fair's Facebook page on Thursday afternoon. "Congratulations to the Grange Fair on 150 years," Brooks said. "It's a great celebration. Thanks for letting me be a part of it." Brooks performed at the...
Flood Watch Issued for Centre County
The National Weather Service at State College has issued a flood watch for Centre County as heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby is expected to push into the area. The watch is in effect from 2 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday throughout central Pennsylvania. A watch means conditions are favorable for flooding to occur. A warning would be issued if flooding is imminent or occurring. Rainfall will begin late Thursday night and continue into Friday night in Centre County. Accumulations of 3 to 5 inches are expected, and locally higher amounts of 6 to 7 inches are possible, according to NWS. AccuWeather forecasts 4...
WPSU Music Festival to Showcase Local Artists
An upcoming music festival benefiting WPSU will showcase artists featured on the station's "Local Groove Presents" program. The Local Groove Music Fest will be held 2 to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8 at Tussey Mountain. Musicians scheduled to perform include include Cass & The Bailout Crew, Hannah Bingman, The Sorters, The Pennsoulvanians, Jim Colbert and Ted McCloskey & The Hi-Fis. "The musicians put on lively performances for the public television series, which gives WPSU viewers an opportunity to watch remotely," said Julie Ammon, a WPSU digital production intern who works with behind the scenes and with musicians on "Local Groove Presents." "The...
Penn State QB Drew Allar Named to Davey O’Brien Award Watch List
Penn State starting quarterback Drew Allar is up for a prestigious offensive award ahead of the 2024 campaign. Allar was listed as one of 36 players on the Davey O’Brien Award preseason watch list, given annually to the nation’s top quarterback. He enters his second season as a starter after passing for 2,631 yards, 25 touchdowns and just two interceptions in 2023. Allar is one of four Big Ten players included, joining Ohio State’s Will Howard, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and Washington’s Will Rogers. West Virginia’s Garrett Greene, who the Nittany Lions will face in their Aug. 31 season opener, was also selected. In...
Elections 101: Department of State Guidance Was a 2020 Lightning Rod. This Is How It Works
Elections 101 from Spotlight PA protects you against election misinformation and empowers you to make informed decisions. This story is made possible through a collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. When legislative Republicans urged Congress to reject Pennsylvania’s electoral votes for Joe Biden in 2020, they didn’t cite voter fraud or illegal activity. Instead, they pointed to something seemingly innocuous: guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of State. State Republicans including then-state House Speaker Bryan Cutler accused the agency of undermining Pennsylvania’s new mail voting law. Jake Corman, then the state Senate’s majority leader, called on former Secretary Kathy Boockvar to step down, saying, “To...
Penn State Has ‘Opportunity to Win Them All’ with Improved Offense, Says Ja’Juan Seider
Ja’Juan Seider often thinks about what could’ve been last season. The talent was there, as was the opportunity. What lacked was the strategy and execution when it mattered most. Seider, now in his seventh year as Penn State’s running backs coach, could only watch from the sidelines as his elite rushing tandem was underutilized in losses to Ohio State and Michigan. There are specific drives that still linger in Seider’s mind. Drives that could’ve been touchdowns, steps toward victory and the College Football Playoff, but instead were empty, ending only in punts and defeat. It’s typically the drives that began with...
Penn Highlands Community College to Host Open House for New Centre County Location
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will hold a ribbon cutting and open house on Friday, Aug. 16 at its new location inside Bellefonte's Match Factory building. The location on the second floor at 190 Match Factory Place is Penn Highlands first in Centre County and seventh in central and western Pennsylvania. “It is with great excitement that Penn Highlands Community College is opening a new educational location in Bellefonte to serve all of Centre County,” Penn Highlands President Steve Nunez said in a news release. “We hope the residents of the County can visit us during the open house, where they will be...
More Mosquito Samples in Centre Region Test Positive for West Nile Virus
Mosquito samples recently collected in three Centre Region municipalities have tested positive for West Nile Virus, the Department of Environmental Protection reported to Centre County's Planning and Community Development Office. The samples were collected in State College Borough and College and Ferguson townships. Centre County's first West Nile Virus positives of the year were identified in mosquitos collected last month in Ferguson Township. West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne disease that produces severe neurological symptoms in about 1% of humans that become infected as the result of a bite by an infected mosquito. Most people do not develop any symptoms, but...
A Refugee Builds a New Life in State College, but Misses Her Old Life in Ukraine
What does it mean to have a normal life? To Oleksandra Pyrozhok, it means that she and her husband Stanislav are together, have jobs and have their own apartment. To appreciate what’s extranormal about the Pyrozhoks’ “normal life,” let’s go back to February 2022. The Pyrozhoks were living in Chernivtsi, a lovely city in southwestern Ukraine. There, too, they had a normal life: She worked as a realtor. He had an air conditioning business. They lived in a townhouse with a cat named Tom. Then Russia invaded. Overnight, no place seemed safe. The men in the Pyrozhok family, Stanislav and their adult son...
Penn State QB Beau Pribula Doesn’t View Himself as Backup, Ready to Run ‘Any’ Play
Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has pledged to put the ball in the hands of his best players this fall. And throughout the process of defining who these players are, it’s become very clear that backup quarterback Beau Pribula is one of them. Pribula isn’t expected to start, at least in the traditional sense. But his potential impact can’t be overlooked. Pribula doesn’t view himself as the backup to starter Drew Allar. And after scoring six rushing touchdowns last season, why should he? He’s a playmaker, spark plug and wild card who should fit Kotelnicki’s creative scheme better than maybe...
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