THE CENTRE COUNTY
GAZETTE www.StateCollege.com
Snow business It’s that time of year — with snow on the ground and ice rinks frozen over, winter sports enthusiasts are headed outside. There are plenty of places to ski, snowboard, tube and skate in and around the Centre Region./Pages 12, 13
January 17-23, 2013
Volume 5, Issue 3
FREE COPY
Precaution urged as flu spreads Centre County reports hundreds of cases; doctors recommend vaccine By MARJORIE S. MILLER mmiller@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — Flu activity in the state is now considered widespread by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, with activity reported in all regions and hundreds of cases in Centre County alone. Health care officials say the season peaked early this year, and the number of reported illness is the highest it’s been since 2009’s pandemic. Local hospitals and health care entities are implementing a variety of preventive measures, and across the board are recommending vaccination as the best means of protection. As of Friday, Centre County’s number of reported cases was 301 for the period of Oct. 2 through Jan. 5., according to the department of health. Mount Nittany Medical Center first noted an abrupt increase in cases beginning the week of Dec. 17, 2012, and that high level of activity has continued. Current data suggests that activity has not yet peaked, according to a press release by Mount Nittany Health. “The number of cases more than doubled between the weeks of Dec. 17 and 26,”
said Marlene Stetson, registered nurse and infection control coordinator at Mount Nittany Medical Center. “We had almost a 50 percent increase from Dec. 17 to Dec. 26.” Most of the lab-confirmed cases of influenza at the medical center have been under the age of 30, and about half of those are under age 10. Ten percent of patients who tested positive for influenza have required inpatient care, Stetson said. Stetson said for the week of Dec. 31 to Jan. 6, the medical center documented 41 lab-confirmed cases of influenza. However, she said, this number should be viewed with caution. “It really doesn’t represent the whole picture,” Stetson said. “It’s really just a fraction.” The exact number of cases isn’t known for a variety of reasons, she said. Simply, some people are never tested in the first place, and others receive a false result, meaning they have the flu but test negative. “(That number) just gives us an indicator,” Stetson said. The medical center has taken a “firm stance” on flu prevention by requiring health care workers to either get a flu shot or wear a mask within 6 feet of patients,
Stetson said. So far 87 percent of Mount Nittany health care workers have been vaccinated, and that number is expected to grow, she said. Stetson warns that people can still get the flu even if they have received the vaccination, which is why it’s important to continuously practice preventative measures, such as washing hands and covering coughs. “We will still see breakthrough illness,” she said. However, for those who do get the flu after receiving the vaccination may have lessened severity and duration of the illness, Stetson said. “There’s still value in being vaccinated,” she said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention name H3N2 as the primary strain of flu this year, with “B viruses” coming in second, Stetson said. Flu typically peaks in central Pennsylvania between mid-January and early February, Stetson said, stressing that it is not too late to get the flu shot. Vaccines are still available, and remain the best preventive measure against the flu, she said.
Flu, Page 3
MAUREEN LOCKARD/The Gazette
HAD YOUR SHOT?: The student Health Center is giving flu shots to students.
Penn State student sculpts Nittany Lion out of snow By SAMI HULINGS For The Gazette
UNIVERSITY PARK — Like most children from Pittsburgh, Kara Morgan spent her winters outside, having fun in the snow. But for Morgan, 18, playing in the snow soon became an expressive art form, as her snowmen evolved into detailed snow sculptures.
“I’ve always been a fan of sculpting and sculptures, so that kind of changed to mostly just sculpting now when I go out,” said the Penn State freshman engineering major. This year, Morgan expressed her Penn State pride by creating an 8-foot snow replica of the Nittany Lion Shrine.
Sculpture, Page 4
CHRIS MORELLI/The Gazette
IN TRIBUTE: Penn State women’s soccer player Emily Hurd jokes with her group of players at a soccer clinic, which was held at Holuba Hall on Sunday evening. The clinic was held to honor Mack Brady, who died recently.
Soccer clinic honors memory of Mack Brady By CHRIS MORELLI editor@centrecountygazette.com
UNIVERSITY PARK — Dance music blared from the sound system, soccer balls flew through the air and children bounced around on the artificial turf at Holuba Hall on Sunday evening as the Penn State community paid tribute to Mack Brady, an 8year-old who loved soccer. Mack’s dream was to play keeper for the Nittany Lions and then become a goalkeeper for the U.S. National team. However, his dreams were cut short when a sudden bacterial infection took his life on New Year’s Eve. To honor Mack, a soccer clinic was held on Penn State’s campus. Approximately 125 children took part in the clinic, which Opinion .............................. 6 Health & Wellness ............. 7
featured 32 Penn State men’s and women’s soccer players. The Penn State coaching staff also took part, as well as representatives from the MLS. “It’s just so humbling and we’re just thrilled that everyone is here,” said Elizabeth Brady, Mack’s mother. “Mack would absolutely love it. It’s just great.” The clinic was held free of charge, but participants could make a monetary donation, which were directed to a scholarship being established in Mack’s honor. The scholarship will benefit a player on the men’s soccer team. Mack’s father, Christian, is the dean of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State. He said that the Mack Brady Scholarship is
Mack, Page 5
Education .......................... 8 Community .................. 9-11
Centre Spread ............ 12, 13 Sports ......................... 14-17
Submitted photo
SNOWY SHRINE: Kara Morgan, a Penn State student from Pittsburgh, recently sculpted this Nittany Lion out of the snow in front of her home. Morgan said she often works with sand or snow to make her works of art.
District discusses school safety By CHRIS MORELLI editor@centrecountygazette.com
BELLEFONTE — On the heels of one of the worst school shootings in United States history, the Bellefonte Area School District held a meeting on Jan. 9 to address student safety and building security. The meeting was held in the auditorium of the high school. Bellefonte superintendent Dr. Cheryl Potteiger was joined by Bellefonte borough police chief Shawn Arts & Entertainment .............. 18
Weaver, school resource officer Jason Brower and Spring Township police officer Mike Danneker. Approximately 100 parents listened to a presentation by school officials and members of law enforcement community. That was followed by a question and answer session. During that time, parents voiced concerns about current procedures and potential changes.
Safety, Page 4
What’s Happening .... 18, 19 Group Meetings .............. 20
Business ..................... 21, 22 Classified ......................... 23