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When I was an aspiring journalist in college, one of the books that made the biggest impact on me was Working, by Studs Terkel. The subtitle of the book, published in 1974, is: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do. Pretty straightforward. That was Terkel’s style,…

I spent the better part of a week in November with my wife, sister, and brother-in-law, sorting through more than 60 years’ worth of everyday life. It was a sad occasion, but it brought feelings of pride and happiness, too. My sister, Tammy, and I – well, mostly our spouses – were cleaning…

I’m a numbers geek. It’s an ironic trait for someone whose only D in college came after the naive decision, as a freshman journalism student, to take a math course as an elective. Nice move. But I do love mining insight from numbers, as long as someone who has a clue has…

As we’ve traveled along the winding, pothole-laden road to the fall of 2020, much of the focus locally – including in this space – has been on Penn State. As Karen Walker reported last month, many in downtown State College greeted the students’ return in late-August with a mix of optimism and concern. Optimism…

For the first time since 1886, there will be no Penn State football games played this fall.  The annual tradition began November 12, 1887, with a 54-0 win at Bucknell. It grew for 132 years, through a 53-39 win over Memphis in the Cotton Bowl on December 28, 2019. It’s a…

On a beautiful, warm summer night earlier this season, my wife and I took a trip back in time: We headed to the drive-in. In this Summer of COVID, we have to get creative in finding entertainment. Sometimes, it’s right in front of us – or, in this case, a pleasant 40-minute drive along…

The news was delivered with little fanfare on a quiet Sunday evening, June 14. But its impact is huge. Penn State leaders announced that the university will resume in-person classes for the fall semester, which begins August 24. After a hiatus that stretches to the weekend of March 6 – when spring break started…

A few observations while looking forward to my next haircut…   On a short hike at Bald Eagle State Park on sunny Mother’s Day, we saw a couple of small groups – they appeared to be families – picnicking at separate outdoor pavilions, safely apart. We enjoyed the smell of one family’s…

There’s nothing typical about this issue of Town&Gown, just as there’s nothing typical about this time in which we are living. As I write this, I haven’t set foot in our South Allen Street offices in about three weeks. The mess of papers on my desk undoubtedly remains untouched. Instead, most of us…

Anyone who spends much time in State College is familiar with the downtown rhythms: Students hurriedly making their way along busy sidewalks and across College Avenue during the school year. Streets, restaurants, and shops buzzing with people on fall football weekends, as the party vibe dominates. The relative peace and quiet of summers and…