Gazette The Centre County
www.CentreCountyGazette.com
Super Sunday arrives
The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos will clash in a battle for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLVIII. Will the Broncos capture their third title or will the Seahawks bring the 12th man their first championship?/Pages 16, 17
January 30-February 5, 2014
FREE COPY
Volume 6, Issue 5
Ice, snow mean cold cash for area businesses By CHRIS MORELLI
editor@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — On a frigid day in State College, shoppers flocked to downtown shops looking for something to keep them warm. Some shoppers needed a new pair of boots. For others, it was a heavier jacket. For some, it was something simple — wool socks or thicker gloves. At Appalachian Outdoors, Ashley Harman, of State College, was on a mission — to find a new pair of gloves. “It’s awful, it’s terribly cold,” she said. “I hate winter, absolutely hate winter. We’re not used to it being this cold. You can get all bundled up and you’re still cold. It’s miserable.”
As she pored over dozens of pairs of gloves, Harman admitted the gloves were a birthday present to herself. “I needed a new pair of gloves, so I thought I’d look for a pair for my birthday. It’s coming up,” she said with a laugh. Mindy Weidow, of State College, came along to look for gloves as well. She grew up in Bradford, in northern Pennsylvania, so she said that she’s used to brutal winters. She hasn’t seen anything quite like this, however. “I grew up in Bradford, where it’s much colder,” she said. “To have this (weather) here is a little shocking.” Since the calendar turned to 2014, Mother
PERFECT FIT: Eddy, 11, and Ruth, 7, of Boalsburg check out the glove selection at Appalachian Outdoors in State College. The children were shopping with their father.
Cash, Page 6
CHRIS MORELLI/The Gazette
Homeless outreach effort sees increase in demand this year
WARM WELCOME
By MARJORIE S. MILLER mmiller@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — With persistently brutal temperatures this winter, programs such as Out of the Cold: Centre County are more important than ever. From Oct. 28 through April 27 local churches serve as emergency shelters, where homeless people are directed when the Centre House Homeless Shelter is full. Each night, residents will
be given a cot, blanket and snack. Guests can arrive at 9 p.m. and then need to leave by 7 a.m. Meals will be provided by churches on some nights, according to Calvary Baptist Church, a host of the program. “The Out of the Cold program is designed to provide shelter for our local homeless population,” said Kendra Gettig, outreach director at Calvary Baptist Church. Cold, Page 6
Hundreds take part in softball clinic By CHRIS MORELLI
editor@centrecountygazette.com
CHUCK FONG/Special to The Gazette
NEW PENN STATE football coach James Franklin shakes the hand of a homeless man at Starbucks in downtown State College on Tuesday. The man is known only as McLanaMAN because he’s often seen outside of Penn State staple, McLanahan’s. Franklin stopped for coffee before a whirlwind day. Later, he accompanied U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Howard, to Washington, D.C., to hear President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address.
Agencies across region offer resources to job seekers By KAREN DABNEY correspondent@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — Finding a new job can be a challenging process. More than half of all job seekers nationwide were unemployed for 15 weeks or longer, according to a U.S. Department of Labor statistics for last month released Jan. 10. More than a third were unemployed for 27 weeks or longer. To improve the likelihood of finding employment quickly, Centre County job seekers can take advantage of the free career services and resources offered by four local organizations: PA CareerLink; Private Industry Council of the Central Corridor Inc.; the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit; and Penn State University. Penn State Career Services is known for their student and alumni resources, which include workshops, career fairs, career counseling, and mock interviews. Two of their resources are available to the general public, the annual regional career fair and their series of online brochures and handouts. Opinion ............................. 7 Health & Wellness .......... 8, 9
The handouts on their website cover a variety of employment topics: cover letters and resumes, the job search, interviews, skills development, careers, and salaries. All job seekers are invited to attend the annual Central Pennsylvania Regional Career Fair from 2 to 5 p.m. on May 19 at the Penn Stater Conference Center. The public can also participate in the Working in PA Online Career Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 20. According to the career fair website, approximately 60 local employers attend the regional career fair each year. The 2014 list of employers will be posted on careerfairs.psu.edu/CentralPA in April. The website also offers information about what to expect at the job fair and tips for success. The Private Industry Council of the Central Corridor Inc. (PICCC Inc.) is a nonprofit organization that works to enhance the economic vitality of the community it serves, according to director Cheryl Career, Page 4
Education ................... 10-12 Community ................ 13, 14
Centre Spread ............ 16, 17 Sports .......................... 18-21
UNIVERSITY PARK — Cabin fever met its match on Sunday morning — at least for 90 minutes or so. More than 200 children from across Centre County converged on Holuba Hall to take part in a free softball clinic sponsored by the Penn State softball team. As first-year coach Amanda Lehotak looked around Holuba Hall, she was amazed by the number of girls who came out on a frigid Sunday morning to get some expert instruction. “I’m shocked. I really thought we’d have 50 to 75 kids. Someone told me we had over 200,” Lehotak said. “It was phenomenal. I’m very humbled. I think it’s great.” With more than 200 girls running around, Lehotak needed her assistant coaches and players on board. They were there — some in full uniform — to make sure things ran smoothly. There were batting stations as well as pitching and catching stations. Youth softball players from Bald Eagle Area, Bellefonte, Penns Valley, Philipsburg-Osceola and State College took part in the clinic. “It’s a great day for the kids, to get them out. I know I’m getting itchy Softball, Page 5
CHRIS MORELLI/The Gazette
TRAINING DAYS: Penn State players and coaches teach young softball players how to squat behind the plate at a free clinic on Sunday at Holuba Hall.
Arts & Entertainment .23, 24 What’s Happening ..... 25, 26
Group Meetings .............. 27 Puzzles ............................. 28
Business ...................... 29, 30 Classified ......................... 31