Town and Gown

  • The Hunting Tradition Continues

    The Hunting Tradition Continues

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    Over the course of 42 years, Ron and Tammy Chronister have fostered approximately 80 children. Now, at 69 and 66 years old, respectively, the two are adoptive parents to five children ranging in age from 2-1/2 to 38. Four of the children currently live with the Chronisters, while their eldest, 38-year-old Sara, resides in Osceola…

  • Where Her Boots Lead

    Where Her Boots Lead

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    The opportunity to join the armed forces always appealed to Amanda Strandburg. Both of her grandfathers served in the Vietnam War, which lit an early respect and admiration for the women and men in the military. Strandburg found the altruism involved in such a decision commendable. Strandburg’s opportunity to follow in her grandfathers’ footsteps came…

  • Craft Beverages & Curious Minds

    Craft Beverages & Curious Minds

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    I love walking into a bar or tavern with the hope of having a good conversation over a craft beverage or two. The problem is, not many bars offer up the opportunity to do that these days. From tight spaces and uncomfortable seating to loud music (I know, I know, old man yelling at cloud…

  • Comfort in a Bowl: Staff-favorite soup recipes

    Comfort in a Bowl: Staff-favorite soup recipes

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    Soup is one of the oldest and most universal dishes in human history, dating back to prehistoric times when early humans boiled meats, grains, and vegetables in clay pots or animal hides. Across cultures, soup has served both practical and symbolic roles — providing warmth, nourishment, and comfort. From the healing broths of traditional Chinese…

  • From TV to Teaching: Meteorologist Christy Shields

    From TV to Teaching: Meteorologist Christy Shields

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    Christy Shields turned a childhood fear of thunderstorms into a passion for understanding the science behind the weather. Now she works to spark that excitement in other young people. “I was afraid of thunderstorms growing up as a kid to the point where I annoyed my parents because all I watched was the Weather Channel.…

  • Remembering Mimi: A catalyst for change

    Remembering Mimi: A catalyst for change

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    By Vilma Shu Town&Gown founder Mimi Ungar Barash Coppersmith signed her letters and cards with her monogram, MUBC. But to most people in State College, she was known simply as Mimi. As a fixture of State College life and an admired Penn State alum, Mimi became an icon, a self-made businesswoman, a breast-cancer survivor, and…

  • Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Renaissance Fund honorees Bill & Connie Hayes

    Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Renaissance Fund honorees Bill & Connie Hayes

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    When Bill and Connie Hayes were growing up in Mifflin County, they both say, their parents instilled in them the importance of supporting their community and helping their neighbors. Today, the couple not only lives according to these values, but they actively encourage and inspire others to do the same. For their many contributions to…

  • Going the Distance at the Tussey Mountainback Relay and Ultra

    Going the Distance at the Tussey Mountainback Relay and Ultra

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    Centre County native Mike Casper is no stranger to distance running. In the late ’90s, after running a 200-mile relay in New Hampshire, he wondered if he could bring a similar event back home, to the trails of Rothrock State Forest. “A friend of mine and I thought this would be an amazing thing for…

  • A Culinary Journey with Fatoum Bistro

    A Culinary Journey with Fatoum Bistro

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    Creating a cohesive menu out of the culinary heritage of diverse lands and cultures might seem like a daunting task to even an experienced restaurateur, but that’s exactly what Hitham Hiyajneh and chef Carlos Avia have accomplished with Fatoum Bistro. And it’s not just a whim or passing fancy, either. Inspired by his late mother’s…

  • Whiteout Tequila: Born in Mexico, raised in PA

    Whiteout Tequila: Born in Mexico, raised in PA

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    Everyone around these parts knows how powerful a white out at Beaver Stadium can be. From the roar of the crowd to the electricity in the air, just being part of it is an experience no one can forget. The feeling of 100,000-plus all connected, rooting for the team to bring home the win. It…