GAZETTE THE CENTRE COUNTY
www.CentreCountyGazette.com
FRAT HOUSE DEATH
State College Police are investigating the accidental death of a Penn State student who fell down steps at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity Feb. 2. Police say they were notified nearly 12 hours after the fall. The victim died Feb. 4./Page 3
February 9-15, 2017
Volume 9, Issue 6
Borough looks at implementing party registration ordinance
LIGHTING THE WAY
By G. KERRY WEBSTER kerry.ccgazette@gmail.com
VINCENT CORSO/For the Gazette
STATE COLLEGE set a Guinness world record Feb. 4 as 5,622 ice luminaries illuminated Allen Street downtown. Above, a representative from ‘‘Light Up State College” gets the crowd fired up for the final count. Coverage on page 4.
Taproot dinner about community, inspiration By MARK BRACKENBURY editor@centrecountygazette.com
PLEASANT GAP — As intern Sarah Pelchar added flour into dough to make gnocchi at Fasta & Ravioli Co. the other day, a puff of flour escaped from the mixer. Fasta pasta maker Jeremiah McClenahan assured her that it’s all in a day’s work. “My shoes are usually white when I leave here,” he said. Pelchar is one of a small group from Taproot Kitchen taking part in a weeklong internship at Fasta in preparation for a community dinner Saturday, Feb. 18. While the interns started learning with gnocchi, the plan by week’s end was to make pierogies filled with onions and cheese for the Eastern European-themed dinner, which will also feature Hungarian goulash. Taproot Kitchen is a community hub for young adults with autism and intellectual disabilities. They typically meet once a week to cook together. The ultimate goal, according to Taproot Kitchen co-founder Sharon Schafer, is to help the Police Blotter .......................... 2 Opinion .................................. 9
STATE COLLEGE — Photographs dancing through social media circles of large parties and gatherings at residences in State College have prompted the borough to begin examining a party registration ordinance. The photos, according to borough Councilwoman Theresa Lafer, showed “humongous” gatherings outside of fraternity houses. “I don’t even think these are parties. Parties you get invited to. I think people just start showing up at these and they are dangerous,” said Lafer. “Something needs to be done.” According to State College Borough’s assistant manager, Tom King, preliminary discussions are being held to write a party registration ordinance so borough officials are “in the know” about gatherings at properties in the borough. He said he expects to bring a preliminary ordinance to council for its review sometime during the spring.
kerry.ccgazette@gmail.com
MARK BRACKENBURY/The Gazette
FASTA & RAVIOLI CO. pasta maker Jeremiah McClenahan, left, talks with Taproot Kitchen intern Sarah Pelchar as they make gnocchi. In the background is Taproot co-founder Sharon Schafer.
Family Matters ..................... 10 Health & Wellness ................ 11
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COMMUNITY SUPPORT
“We’re on the right track,” she said, noting significant support from the community. Taproot, Page 8
Community .......................... 13 Celebrate Valentine’s Day ... 16
Valentine’s Day SPECIAL Be Mine With An Edible Valentine!
STATE COLLEGE — Every day for the past two decades, State College Borough Mayor Elizabeth Goreham woke to thoughts about her community. She wondered what she could do that day to make State College a better place to live, to raise children … to build community. But on the morning of Feb. 7, Goreham woke to a different thought. “‘What am I doing?’ I asked myself as soon as I woke up,” she said. Less than 12 hours before, during a meeting of the State College Borough Council, Goreham had announced she would not seek re-election for a third term as the community’s mayor. “Is this really what I want?” she asked herself.
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“I think this is something that we’re going to need to do,” said Mayor Elizabeth Goreham. “Having a lot of people at one place can easily turn into a dangerous situation. We’re not saying we don’t want people to have parties in our borough, we just want to make sure we have an idea of just what’s going on there. We can’t continue to be in the dark.” Goreham said, if enacted, residents wishing to hold a large party or gathering would be required by the ordinance to provide the borough with the name and contact information of the party’s host, approximate number of people attending and how the facilities at each party can accommodate the guests in terms of space and restroom availability. “People won’t have to pay to register their party,” said Goreham. “We just want to have some idea of what’s going on, just in case, God forbid, something does happen. At least we’ll have some kind of idea on what to do should a situation arise.” Borough, Page 6
Goreham reflects on ‘great privilege’ of serving as mayor By G. KERRY WEBSTER
young adults produce a product, perhaps something that could be sold at local farmers markets or placed on a menu. “We’re hoping to put together a product and be part of the community and part of the economy,” Schafer said. The or-
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After shaking Mr. Sandman from her head, she realized she had made the right decision. She said it is time for someone else to lead the borough into ELIZABETH the future and GOREHAM enjoy herself as a private citizen in the “best community in the world.” Her term will end Dec. 31, 2017. “I have deeply enjoyed being an elected representative of State College, first as a council member then as mayor,” she said. “It has been my privilege Goreham, Page 7
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