Town and Gown

  • Penn State’s Shaver’s Creek Celebrates 50 Years

    Penn State’s Shaver’s Creek Celebrates 50 Years

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    Half a century of inspiring curiosity in nature and conservation In the heart of central Pennsylvania for the last 50 years is Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, a Penn State-affiliated outdoor education and recreation facility. Founded in 1976, the center originally consisted of one room in a building on the Stone Valley Recreation Area side of…

  • The Local Legend Who Taught America to Sing

    The Local Legend Who Taught America to Sing

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    Fred Waring’s journey from Central Pennsylvania to radio, television, and American culture In the era of snap orchestras, swing, and the Big Band, one personality rose from the industrial heart of Pennsylvania to captivate audiences across the country and “taught America how to sing”: Fred Waring. When he was born in Tyrone in 1900, Fred…

  • Invented, Owned, and Built Different

    Invented, Owned, and Built Different

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    From Penn State project to industry leader with a community-first mission In State College, entrepreneurship comes in many forms. Small businesses are a staple of the community — from restaurants to clothing stores to homegrown manufacturing companies like DiamondBack Covers. Sporting the motto “Built Different,” DiamondBack sprang to life in 2003 from the minds of…

  • For Goodness, Skate!

    For Goodness, Skate!

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    High Point Skatepark offers a much need place for the community to play and practice on wheels I am not exactly sure when — it looks like May 29 is the grand opening — but sometime this spring, perhaps by the time you are reading this, High Point Skatepark in State College will be opening…

  • A Field Divided 

    A Field Divided 

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    Penn State and the Spikes clash over Medlar Field  There’s a crack in the outfield wall at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Not in the concrete, not in the seats, but in something harder to repair: trust. What’s unfolding between Penn State University and the State College Spikes isn’t just a legal dispute. It’s a…

  • A Family of Traditions

    A Family of Traditions

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    Fire and Fig brings the comfort and warmth of familiar Persian dishes to State College To Sara and Sam Cyrus, providing healthy and satisfying meals isn’t just a business, but a way to share their love of food with the world, and to make those they serve feel like a part of the family. We…

  • Hoppy Valley Brewers Fest Expands Beyond Beer in Year Three

    Hoppy Valley Brewers Fest Expands Beyond Beer in Year Three

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    The festival returns with more craft flavors than ever One day a year, Happy Valley goes by Hoppy Valley, as some of the best craft beverage makers in the region and beyond find their way to our lovely town nestled between the mountains for the Hoppy Valley Brewers Fest. Indeed, what a wonderful thing to…

  • Singing Together with State College Sacred Harp

    Singing Together with State College Sacred Harp

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    Shape-note singing draws new voices into a powerful shared experience The 200-year-old Early American tradition of shape-note singing is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Singers of all abilities can try this unique folk art at the free, twice-monthly State College Sacred Harp singings held at University Mennonite Church. While the songs have Christian lyrics, everyone…

  • C-NET Executive Director Reflects on 20 Years of Growth, Transparency

    C-NET Executive Director Reflects on 20 Years of Growth, Transparency

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    Cynthia Hahn calls the organization a “small but mighty” operation C-NET (Centre Network), with four full-time and three part-time employees plus interns from Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications, produces and broadcasts about 520 government and educational programs annually in Centre County. From gavel-to-gavel coverage of local government meetings to interviews with political candidates, educational…

  • Hub of the Hobby

    Hub of the Hobby

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    Jason Dambach has made his shop a community gathering place for sports card collectors who love the thrill of the chase The sight of a 1983 Topps baseball card takes Jason Dambach back to his childhood in Punxsutawney. “My grandfather worked in a grocery warehouse and they sold baseball and football cards for Topps and…