Gazette The Centre County
www.CentreCountyGazette.com
Wedding bells
With wedding season right around the corner, the Gazette takes a look at everything the betrothed need to know. There are tips for those just getting started as well as those who are about ready to walk down the aisle/Pages 16-18
February 26-March 4, 2015
Volume 7, Issue 8
FREE COPY
THON raises more than $13 million By ALEXA LEWIS correspondent@centrecountygazette.com
UNIVERSITY PARK — More than 700 Penn State students made a statement of what pediatric cancer cannot stop as they danced to near exhaustion during the 46-hour IFC/ Panhellenic Dance Marathon, which was held at the Bryce Jordan Center starting on Feb. 20. On Feb. 22, at 4 p.m., dancers were cued to sit down for an arena-wide countdown, in which the THON executive committee revealed that $13,023,653.23 was raised for the Four Diamonds Fund through yearlong fundraising efforts. Since 1977, THON has raised more than $127 million for the Four Diamonds Fund, which provides support and care for children with cancer at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. “I don’t know how we would live if it weren’t for the Four Diamonds Fund,” said Tiffany Benner, whose 10-year-old son, Noah, a Four Diamonds Child, was diagnosed with choroid plexus papilloma and has had three surgeries since 2012 to remove tumors inside his brain. The family, from Bellefonte, has attended THON three times and is paired with Penn State’s Lion Scouts. “We’ve never paid any type of medical bills for him and every year it’s a few thousand dollar for what the insurance doesn’t pay,” Benner said. While this year is one of the few years to not surmount previous years’ totals, it was the second year in a row where more than $13 million was raised. Last year’s total was $13,343,517.33. THON, Page 6 TIM WEIGHT/For the Gazette
INSIDE Take a look back at THON in photos. Page 14
AMAZING AMOUNT: Penn State’s IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon raised more than $13 million to combat pediatric cancer. Money raised goes to the Four Diamonds Fund.
Kistler withdraws himself from high court consideration By MICHAEL MARTIN GARRETT
responsibilities to Centre County in this time of uncertainty.” His letter mentions the vacant court administrator position and “several other urgent matters in our court” as reasons for his decision. Kistler also told StateCollege.
StateCollege.com
BELLEFONTE — Centre County President Judge Tom Kistler will not be heading to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. In an official statement released on Feb. 23, Kistler said he is willingly withdrawing his nomination to the state’s highest court. “Since November, when I first offered to serve the Commonwealth on the highest court in Pennsylvania, several circumstances have developed here, at home, in Centre County, which have dramatically altered the legal system, and require my full attention,” the statement reads. “I cannot with a clear conscience abandon my BRITTANY SVOBODA/The Gazette
UP AND AWAY: A Park Forest Middle School student recently designed and printed a flying drone with his personal 3-D printer.
3-D printing becoming community venture By BRITTANY SVOBODA bsvoboda@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — At the forefront of the conversation in technology is additive manufacturing, better known as 3-D printing. Naturally, Penn State is a leading innovator with its state-of-the-art research lab, but 3-D printing has also taken form in an area business and school district as a tool for the entire community. The UPS Store, located on Colonnade Way near Wegmans, has been offering 3-D printing options for about five months now. Store co-owner Jim Small said that three years ago the company decided to test 3-D Opinion ............................. 7 Health & Wellness .......... 8, 9
printers in a dozen stores. After the test proved to be successful, the company offered its top 100 stores the opportunity to have the printers. “They asked us if we wanted to get into it and we said, ‘Sure,’” Small said. “It’s a pretty expensive proposition, but being in … (the) high-technical area that we are in, (we thought) it might be a good opportunity for us to get into it.” “The UPS Store is the first national chain to offer 3-D printing in a retail environment,” said Bob Sanginari, a print service specialist at the store. “So, it’s exciting to get on board with that.” 3-D printing, Page 4
Education ........................ 10 Community ................ 11-13
THON: A Look Back ........ 14 Women’s Corner ............. 15
TOM KISTLER
Kistler, Page 3
INSIDE An email sent by Kistler raised eyebrows just days before his decision to pull out. Page 4
Liberty Craft House taps into new tavern concept By CHRIS MORELLI editor@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — There’s a new hangout in downtown State College. Meet the Liberty Craft House. The Liberty Craft House, however, isn’t just any bar. Located at 346 E. College Ave., State College’s newest establishment is a craft beer lover’s paradise. But it isn’t just beer. There are a total of 47 refreshments on tap. Among the highlights are beer, wine and premixed cocktails. If you’re not a fan of alcohol, no worries: Liberty features homemade soda pop. J.P. Mills is the director of marketing for Dante’s Inc. Liberty has been open nearly
two weeks and he’s been pleased with the response thus far. “Things have been great … the response has been great,” Mills said. “We’re happy from our end.” Dante’s Inc. is responsible for some of State College’s most familiar names when it comes to bars and restaurants. There’s The Deli, Inferno, the Saloon, Highway Pizza, Mario’s and Bar Bleu. Liberty is a little different, though. “Dante’s has been around for 52 years, so we’ve certainly opened our fair share of places,” Mills said. Like any new establishment, Liberty has hit a few speed bumps during the first
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Centre Spread ............ 16-18 Sports .......................... 19-22
Liberty, Page 5
Arts & Entertainment . 24-26 What’s Happening ..... 26, 27
Puzzles ............................. 28 Business ...................... 29, 30