GAZETTE THE CENTRE COUNTY
www.CentreCountyGazette.com
HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFFS
The State High boys’ basketball team, fresh off a Mid-Penn Conference championship, will look to repeat its District 6 title from last year when it faces Altoona. That game is among a strong slate of upcoming playoff contests involving county teams./Page 20
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February 23-March 1, 2017 Volume 9, Issue 8
Mountain View hotel plan clears hurdle By G. KERRY WEBSTER kerry.ccgazette@gmail.com
BOALSBURG — A local developer has cleared a hurdle in an attempt to bring a 100-room hotel to the Mountain View Country Club property and breathe new life into the existing golf course. On Feb. 21, the Harris Township Planning Commission voted unanimously to support a waiver request, on behalf of Wyndham Garden Hotel and its developers, to relieve a part of a township ordinance that requires new land developers to install riparian buffers where fresh water runs freely. A riparian buffer is a vegetated area near a stream, usually forested, which helps shade and partially protect a stream from the impact of adjacent land uses. It
plays a key role in increasing water quality in associated streams, rivers and lakes. The waiver request will be recommended to the township board of supervisors by the planning commission at the regular township supervisors’ meeting in March. “We are very appreciative of how the planning commission is working with us on this project,” said Joe Thomas, general manager of the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center in State College, and the developer of the new property. “This is a step in the right direction for us. There’s still lots more work to do to get this thing rolling, but we’re willing to do what it takes and work with whoever we need to to bring this great amenity to Harris Township.” Spring Creek runs directly through the
property, on its southern portion, and this area is where the riparian buffers need to be created to comply with the township’s ordinance. The planning commission agreed there were no issues with the riparian buffers on the east side of the property; however, on the west side, where a flood plain is located, the width of the required riparian buffer area encroached on three of the golf course’s 18 holes. John Wainright, a planning commission member who admitted to not being “too familiar” with the game, asked if the fairways and holes impacted by the riparian buffers could be moved, or removed altogether. “Without some relief in this ordinance, we wouldn’t be able to move forward with this project,” said Mark Saville, project en-
“WE’RE HOPING to improve operations on the golf course, and by adding a quality hotel with outstanding amenities, we feel we can put a new charge into the game in Harris Township.” Joe Thomas,
developer
gineer. “We can’t move the holes themselves, and we can’t just remove them altogether. You can’t operate a 15-hole golf course. The purpose of building the hotel is to grow existing golf operations.” Mountain View, Page 8
Townships reassured on police service
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
Questions raised on impact of immigration resolution
By MARK BRACKENBURY editor@centrecountygazette.com
TIM WEIGHT/For the Gazette
THON 2017 dancers collapse to the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center on Feb. 19 after completing the 46-hour dance marathon to raise money in the fight against pediatric cancer. The annual fundraiser brought in more than $10 million. Coverage on pages 3, 16-17.
State College Borough officials are reassuring two neighboring townships that a resolution on immigration enforcement passed by the borough council in January will not change their police services. The resolution left officials and some residents in College and Harris townships, which contract for police services from the borough, with concerns about whether the measure would impact their communities. Questions raised included the impact
of the potential loss of federal funding from the Trump administration, although borough officials have emphasized that the resolution does not make State College a “sanctuary” community. The Harris Township Board of Supervisors plans to have State College Police Chief John Gardner at its Monday, March 13, meeting to address the matter, township manager Amy Farkas said. “We want to make sure they’re enforcing the laws, that if the federal government called they would help them,” Farkas said. Police service, Page 6
Headliners set for Grange Fair, Happy Valley fest By G. KERRY WEBSTER kerry.ccgazette@gmail.com
Photo courtesy of Centre County Grange Fair and Encampment
CHRIS LANE will be among the headliners at the 2017 Grange Fair. He will perform Aug. 25. Police Blotter .................... 2 Opinion ............................ 9
Two premier summer events in Centre County already have entertainment acts set for 2017, with Chris Lane and the Spin Doctors topping the lists. The Centre County Grange Fair and Encampment Board recently announced main stage performers for the 143rd installment of the Grange Fair. Officials said they wanted to announce the shows early to get area residents excited for the event, which is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 18, through Saturday, Aug. 26. “We’re excited to be able to announce our preliminary headlining show entertainment so early,” said Darlene Confer, Grange Fair general manager. “This allows
Health & Wellness .......... 10 Community .................... 12
us to get a big marketing campaign going for the events we have coming up. We want to get people excited early because we feel we have a pretty good lineup — perhaps the best Grange Fair has ever seen.” According to Confer, Chris Lane’s performance on Friday evening, Aug. 25, should be well received. “We’re very, very fortunate to be able to get an act like Chris Lane,” said Confer. “His music is popular right now, and he was most recently featured on ‘The Bachelor,’ so there is some name recognition there that should help with the attendance.” Other Grange Fair performers for 2017 include Smithfield on Friday, Aug. 18; The Motown Sounds of Touch on Saturday, Headliners, Page 8
THON .............................. 16 Women’s Corner ............ 18
Sports .............................. 20 Dining Out ...................... 25
Photo courtesy of the State College Downtown Improvement District
THE SPIN DOCTORS will perform during Happy Valley Music Fest’s opening night June 2.
Around & In Town ......... 26 What’s Happening ......... 28
Puzzles ............................ 29 Business .......................... 30
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