News Wrap: Wake-Up Call (2/26/10)

School’s Out — The State College School District is closed today, and AccuWeather.com’s forecast calls for some snow throughout the day. 

State Patty’s Day — Like it or not, it’s State Patty’s Day weekend in Happy Valley, and the community is more divided than ever since the inception of the young holiday.

• The Daily Collegian spoke with Joe Veltre, who founded the holiday in 2007, when St. Patrick’s Day took place over Penn State’s spring break (it has not since that year). He’s not proud of what’s happened since the inaugural year, and he refers to the event as a ‘black eye’ for the community.
• Russell Frank wrote in today’s column that Penn State students shouldn’t stop at St. Patrick’s Day when looking for inspiration for fake holidays. A few of his suggestions include: In Depends Dance Day, Vintner Solstice and Rumorial Day.
• Jay Paterno got in on the State Patty’s Day celebration with yesterday’s column, in which Paterno reminds State College of all the other holidays that have existed in town over the years. Remember Gentle Thursdays? How about the Phi Psi 500?

Alumna Olympian — The Daily Collegian spoke with medal winner and Penn State Berks alumna Allison Baver after her speedskating relay team earned a bronze medal. ‘My goal is to bring home a medal and be on the podium, and I worked all my life to do it, and I came back and did it,’ she told the Collegian.

Penn State Football — PSU selected no walk-ons from the winter tryouts, and The Daily Collegian now has a great piece about the aspiring Nittany Lions’ attempts. 

Women’s Basketball — There was no ‘happily ever after’ at the BJC on Senior Night. The Lady Lions had their worst scoring output in more than 30 years and lost 71-39 to the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers shot an astounding 75 percent in the first half, according to the Centre Daily Times. 

Greek Sweep — Penn State fraternities are taking to the streets this weekend in an effort to clean up their image and their neighborhoods. The Daily Collegian reported that the initiative, ‘Commitment to Outreach and Responsible Education’ (CORE), will start at 10 a.m. Sunday. Seven groups will work on Sunday, starting from the Delta Upsilon house at 229 Locust Lane and cleaning the Highlands Neighborhood. The Centre Daily Times reported that clean-ups are planned to be held after home football games, Homecoming and Halloween.