12 31 15 centre county gazette

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GAZETTE THE CENTRE COUNTY

www.CentreCountyGazette.com

Big bowl

The Penn State football team is in Jacksonville for the TaxSlayer Bowl. Can’t make it to the game? The Gazette has you covered with a preview and everything you need to know about the Jan. 2 tilt with Georgia./Pages 12, 13

December 31, 2015-January 6, 2016

Volume 7, Issue 52

FREE COPY

The Gazette Year in Review: 2015 By CHRIS MORELLI and G. KERRY WEBSTER Centre County Gazette

It was quite a year, Centre County. There was plenty of news to write about in 2015. There were a number of high-profile stories that made headlines in Centre County. Here’s a closer look at The Centre County Gazette staff’s picks for the Top 10 stories of 2015: 1. Courthouse chaos — Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller found herself in hot water in January when she was pointed at for allegedly forging a judge’s signature on a court order. The case came to light when attorney Philip Masorti reported to Bellefonte police that Miller forged the signature of Judge Pamela A. Ruest based on the statement of Michelle Shutt, a former

employee in the district attorney’s office. Later that month, the case came into the public light when attorney Bernard Cantorna presented the Centre County commissioners with a sworn statement from Shutt. Shutt said she witnessed Parks sign Ruest’s name on a fake bail order that was later filed with the prothonotary. That order was used in an investigation into an alleged murder plot against former Assistant District Attorney Nathan Boob. The case was handed over to a grand jury, and in July, more than 20 witnesses testified in the case, including two handwriting experts who testified the signature on the document was in fact the signature of Ruest, and not forged by Miller’s hands. Based on those facts, the grand jury declined to further pursue charges. Miller has since filed suit

against the commissioners, the county solicitor and administrators, her accusers and Ruest in federal court. The case is expected to be heard sometime in 2016. 2. Budget impasse — Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf have been butting heads over perhaps the biggest decision in his short tenure — sign a budget that falls short of everything he has sought, or risk more damage to the schools and social services he wants to help. Pennsylvania has been without a state budget since July. It joins Illinois as the only states in the nation that has not passed its annual spending plan. Vendors such as landlords, insurers and utilities await the payment of hundreds of millions of dollars by school districts, counties and the state. There is also alarm that business tax credit Review, Page 3

State College anticipating celebration of First Night

Pleasant Gap business closes after blaze, to reopen downtown By ALEXA LEWIS news@centrecountygazette.com

By G. KERRY WEBSTER correspondent@centrecountygazette.com

STATE COLLEGE — On Thursday, Dec. 31, thousands will descend on downtown State College and the Penn State campus to celebrate First Night State College — a yearly, alcohol-free community celebration of the visual and performing arts. “We’re just about all set and ready to go,” said Rick Bryant, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, the parent organization to First Night. “We have a big variety of things to do for everybody. If you like sports, we have Lady Lions basketball. If you like art, there will be plenty of it. We’ll also have music, theatrical performances and, of course, the ice sculptures.” According to Bryant, the First Night Committee has produced the family-friendly downtown event each year since 1993; however, the roots of the program date to 1976 when it was celebrated in Boston as an outgrowth of America’s Bicentennial Celebration. For the next six years, First Night was celebrated

IF YOU GO

What: First Night State College When: All day, Dec. 31 Where: Downtown State College Cost: Most events are free; some require a First Night button, which can be purchased for $10 at various locations in State College. Opinion ............................ 5 Health & Wellness ......... 6, 7

TIM WEIGHT/Gazette file photo

BUDGET BATTLE: Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, shown speaking in Bellefonte earlier this year, approved parts of a state budget on Dec. 29. The budget impasse has affected many Centre County residents. For more on the state budget, see story on Page 2.

Gazette file photo

MASKED MEN: First Night State College features many unique sights, including costumed characters during the Grand Procession, which begins at 6:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. exclusively in Boston, until 1982, when First Night Virginia was founded in Charlottesville, Va. According to Bryant, now more than 50 communities have added the First Night celebration as an alternate way to ring in the new year. “I don’t think there’s a better way to celebrate the ending of a year and the beginning of a new one than First Night,” said Bryant. “It’s been a very successful event in the past, and there’s no reason to believe this year’s event won’t be the same, if not better. We have a lot of new things happening this year, and the committee has worked really hard to bring everything together. We all feel fortunate to bring this type of event to the community. It’s a safe alternative to how many people celebrate New Year’s Eve.” Perhaps the biggest draw to the event is the ice sculptures — and there will be plenty to see this First Night, Page 4

INSIDE: Find more coverage of State College First Night festivities on Page 17.

Education ......................... 8 Community ............... 10, 11

Gazette Gameday ...... 12, 13 Sports ......................... 14-16

PLEASANT GAP — Fasta & Ravioli Co. is closing its doors for renovations following a fire that broke out shortly after 2 a.m. on Christmas Eve, but the store will also reopen in place of its sister store in downtown State College. While there was no one inside Fasta during the incident, the fire left behind what owner Bob Ricketts is predicting as three to six

months worth of renovations. “The fire caused a lot of damage to the front of the house, but the larger implications is the smoke damage,” Ricketts said. “Virtually everything in the store is covered in smoke.” The Pleasant Gap Fire Company was dispatched to the store located at 157 W. College Ave. at about 2:40 a.m. Crews had the fire under control 30 minutes Fire, Page 2

TIM WEIGHT/For the Gazette

DOORS CLOSED: A fire at Fasta & Ravioli Co. broke out on Christmas Eve. The shop, located in Pleasant Gap, has closed its doors for renovations. Owner Bob Ricketts said Fasta eventually will return to the location, which is the site of the former Pleasant Gap Post Office.

Gazette Picks .................. 16 Around & In Town .... 17, 18

What’s Happening ......... 19 Puzzles ............................ 20

Business ..................... 21, 22 Classified ........................ 23

We Have Everything YOU Need For This Winter!

WWW.MAXWELLINC.NET 689 East College Avenue • Pleasant Gap (Corner of Rt. 26 & Rt. 64)

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