GAZETTE THE CENTRE COUNTY
www.CentreCountyGazette.com
Titles on line
Two Centre County high school football teams face huge games this weekend. Undefeated State College looks to secure the outright conference title when it hosts Central Dauphin. Meanwhile, No. 4 seed Bellefonte travels to face No. 1 Clearfield in District 6 AAAA playoff action. /Page 23
November 3-9, 2016, 2016
Volume 8, Issue 44
FREE COPY
Waterfront developer sought Centre County expects record turnout at the polls By G. KERRY WEBSTER kerry.ccgazette@gmail.com
TIM WEIGHT/For the Gazette
AN EFFORT to market land along Bellefonte’s waterfront comes on the heels of the completion of a walkway and stone flood wall along Spring Creek.
With Bellefonte walkway set, sights turn to boutique hotel By MARK BRACKENBURY editor@centrecountygazette.com
BELLEFONTE — Efforts to find a developer for about 3 acres along the waterfront that might one day feature a boutique hotel are moving forward. Any hotel would likely go on the vacant lot that once housed the Bush House, said Matt Hill, chairman of the Bellefonte Industrial Development Authority. The Bush House was destroyed in a 2006 fire. It is important that any hotel, perhaps in the range of 60 to 70 rooms, fit into the architecture
of the historic area, Hill said. The land might also include a restaurant or other commercial development. The authority recently voted to seek brokers to market the property to developers. “The purchase price is a large factor, along with the hotel we would like to see there,” Hill said. The borough hopes to get about $2.5 million from the sale of the land, according to Hill and borough assistant manager Don Holderman. The borough has spent about $6 million on the Waterfront, Page 6
BELLEFONTE — A presidential election without an incumbent brings out the voters, and here in Centre County, the race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton for leadership of the country has registration numbers at an all-time high. According to Joyce McKinley, director of elections, as of Oct. 28 there were 121,629 registered voters in Centre County. On Nov. 1, at the Centre County board of commissioners meeting, she reported there were 123,204 registered voters in the county. “To my knowledge, that’s the most registered voters we’ve ever had,” she said. “People are definitely interested in this year’s election.” During the last presidential election, in 2012, Centre County had 101,000 registered voters, and in 2008, during a year without an incumbent, just more than 106,000 were registered. In April, Centre County knew numbers would be high when 109,701 people were registered to vote. Since then, nearly 12,000 have submitted voter registration requests. McKinley said that increase in numbers all but guarantees a
record-setting voter turnout percentage as well. “We anticipate the polls will be very, very busy this year,” she said. “But we’re ready. We’ll definitely be ready.” Although most of the voting eyes will be on the presidential election, Centre County voters have some key races in the House of Representatives, as well as a congressional district race, to decide. Incumbent Republican Glenn “G.T.” Thompson will attempt to retain his seat as congressman of the 5th Congressional District against Democratic challenger Kerith Strano Taylor. Thompson, a Howard Township resident, spent 28 years in the health care field prior to being elected. Thompson is basing his campaign on rectifying issues with unemployment, underemployment and low workforce participation. Taylor is family law attorney from Brookville. Taylor believes lowering the unemployment rate in the district should be a No. 1 priority and more efforts need Polls, Page 6
INSIDE: Election Guide, Page 3 Polling Places, Page 15
Plaza honoring Martin Luther King Jr. soon to take shape By MARK BRACKENBURY editor@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — The vision for the new Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on Fraser Street is in focus, and should be a reality in the spring. The plaza will include 15 black granite pavers commemorating significant moments in the slain civil rights leader’s life and other events related to social justice. It will also feature a graphic wall with two enlarged photographs of King’s speech at Rec Hall on the Penn State campus in 1965, as well as six pillars at Fraser and Beaver Avenue to represent King’s philosophies and continuing efforts for social justice. Besides a timeline of King’s life, the pavers will also include commemorations
Courtesy State College Borough
A RENDERING of the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, which should be completed in the spring.
Plaza, Page 5 Police Blotter .................... 2 Opinion ............................ 9
Health and Wellness ...... 10 Community .................... 13
Mature Lifestyles ........... 17 Gazette Gameday ........... 19
Sports .............................. 23 Around & In Town ......... 33
What’s Happening ......... 35 Puzzles ............................ 36
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Business .......................... 37 Classifieds ....................... 39