Local News
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John Foster Brings Heart and Hometown Roots to Grange Fair Grandstand
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Long before millions of viewers watched him finish as runner-up on Season 23 of “American Idol,” before standing ovations at the Grand Ole Opry and before a career that now has him traveling the country, Foster was a teenager in Louisiana who almost didn’t sing at all.
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12 Named to Centre County Sports Hall of Fame 2026 Induction Class
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A dozen local athletes and coaches who left an enduring mark on their communities have been named to the Centre County Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. Each of the newest members will be honored during the Hall of Fame Day celebration on Oct. 18 at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center. This…
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Patton Township Updates Zoning to Address Data Centers
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Patton Township’s Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a zoning ordinance amendment that effectively ensures large-scale data centers cannot be constructed within the municipality. Since 2005, Patton Township has had an intermunicipal zoning implementation agreement with College Township in which Patton takes College’s multi-family zoning and College takes Patton’s industrial zoning, Patton Township Manager Amy…
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Shaquille ‘DJ Diesel’ O’Neal to Headline Penn State’s LightsUP Festival
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Shaquille O’Neal will bring his DJ Diesel act to Penn State next week for a free concert on the HUB Lawn. The Basketball Hall of Famer will headline the sixth annual LightsUP festival on Friday, Aug. 28, with indie pop and alternative duo Between Friends opening the event at 6:30 p.m. The festival is organized…
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Penn State Among Universities Ordered by Pentagon to Audit Partnerships With Foreign Entities
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Penn State is one of 30 universities ordered by the Department of Defense this week to audit partnerships with mostly Chinese institutions identified as foreign entities of concern. The Pentagon directed the schools to conduct a comprehensive review of all foreign collaborations, implement mitigation plans for exposure of sensitive research and terminate problematic relationships by…
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Addition Planned for Penn State Spiritual Center
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Penn State is planning an addition for its Pasquerilla Spiritual Center that will create an improved entrance and address water infiltration issues that have impacted a subsurface multipurpose gathering room. State College’s Design Review Board on Tuesday received an overview of preliminary plan for the 2,654-square-foot addition. The 26-foot-high, single story building expansion will be…
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I-80 Bellefonte Exit to Be Closed 9 Days for Work on Interchange Project
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A Bellefonte exit on Interstate 80 will be closed around the clock for nine days starting Sunday for work on the high-speed interchange project connecting I-80 and I-99, according to PennDOT. Exit 161 and the right lane of I-80 eastbound will close at 6 p.m. Sunday for the contractor to begin replacement of a box…
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Happy Valley Film Commission Supports Growing Number of Productions in Centre County
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Centre County is growing as a film destination, and on Tuesday the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau officially launched an initiative designed to attract and support productions in the area. The official launch of the Happy Valley Film Commission took place on the site of an active film project in Centre County. “At the Happy Valley…
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2026 Centre County Grange Fair Set to Get Underway
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This article originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette’s Official Grange Fair Guide. CENTRE HALL — Summer’s grand finale is here. For more than 150 years, families have pitched their tents, parked their campers and gathered at Grange Park to celebrate one of Centre County’s most cherished traditions. From livestock competitions and homemade exhibits to…
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Nonprofit Organization’s ‘Bunks Across America’ Event in State College to Build Beds for Local Children in Need
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Nonprofit organization Sleep in Heavenly Peace will bring volunteers together at Lowe’s Home Improvement in State College next month to build 50 beds for children in Centre, Clinton and Lycoming counties who do not have a proper place to sleep. The local chapter of the nonprofit will host its annual Bunks Across America event beginning…