GAZETTE THE CENTRE COUNTY
www.CentreCountyGazette.com
FEEL THE RUMBLE
See preview coverage of the Bellefonte Cruise inside today’s Gazette. Tens of thousands will visit Bellefonte’s yearly car show from June 16-18 and enjoy food, music, cars, trucks and motorcycles, and the chance to win a free convertible./Page 17
June 15-21, 2017
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Volume 9, Issue 24
CRUISE PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY
CYS sees firsthand affects of opioids By SEAN YODER syoder@centrecountygazette.com
TIM WEIGHT/For the Gazette
THE 29TH ANNUAL Historic Bellefonte Cruise kicks off June 16 and continues through June 18 in downtown Bellefonte. On June 13, committee volunteers gathered to begin stuffing goodie bags for show attendees. An open cruise of the community is scheduled to get the event under way on Friday evening; the car, truck and motorcycle show follows on Saturday. Soap box derby racing concludes the weekend events on Sunday. See more about the Bellefonte Cruise starting on Page 17.
BELLEFONTE — The opioid crisis is shaping the way Children and Youth Services workers operate, as caseworkers, who enter the homes of clients and become intimate with their lives deal more and more with drug and alcohol addiction. This comes at a time when CYS offices across the state are reporting a significant increase in the number of child abuse and neglect referrals, according to the Child Welfare Resource Center. Julia Sprinkle, director of CYS of Centre County, said now, the majority of cases, perhaps as many as two-thirds, have drugs or alcohol as one of the factors.
She said that was not the case when she started with CYS 25 years ago. Sprinkle said cases are often far more complicated than a single isolated issue, such as substance abuse. Struggling parents can be battling mental health or the loss of a job, which can then threaten the stability of the home. When she began her work with CYS, she said much more time was spent with tasks such as getting families to appointments or the grocery store. “Now, it’s much more about safety and what is happening right now and in the moment and addressing those kinds of issues,” Sprinkle said. Opioid, Page 6
Streetscape funding denied again By G. KERRY WEBSTER editor@centrecountygazette.com
LEMONT — College Township may have whiffed on its first two swings trying to secure funding for a streetscape and traffic calming project, but according to manager Adam Brumbaugh, the next pitch should be smacked out of the park. Recently, the township was made aware it was not selected for inclusion in the first round of a multimodal grant offered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. In December, the township was denied a $1.15 million grant from the Commonwealth Finance Authority. “It’s been disappointing, that’s for sure,” said Brumbaugh in an interview with Centre County Gazette. “We were disappointed when we weren’t awarded funding in December, and we were disappointed we weren’t included in this round of funding. But, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. I’m pretty confident we’ll get the funding during the next round of grant awards.” Brumbaugh said although the township was denied the funding, he noted that people close to the funding source said it would most likely be awarded during the next round of grant awards, Police Blotter .................... 2 Death Notices .................. 8
BERNIE CANTORNA
HEATHER WEIKEL/For the Gazette
A STREETSCAPE PLAN along Pike Street in Lemont calls for parallel parking in front of businesses in the future. which will occur later this year. “Our chances are pretty good I think,” Brumbaugh said. “We’re still working on different aspects of the projects, such as the engineering. There are still lots of things to do.” The plan calls for parallel parking and sidewalks on both sides of Pike Street, crosswalks and tree removal and replacement. The work on Pike would run from Elmwood Street to Dale Street. The project, first proposed more than three years ago, aims to slow traffic and make downtown Lemont more pedestrian-friendly.
Opinion .......................... 10 Health & Wellness .......... 11
Brumbaugh has estimated the cost of the project at about $1.6 million. In addition to grant money, about $450,000 would come from local funds. Dick Stever, owner of Mayes Memorials on Pike Street, said it is an ill-advised project and a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. “If this is such a good project, why doesn’t the township fund the project itself rather than going out and getting grant money?” said Stever. “How does getting a grant, paid for by taxpayers, make it a better project? It doesn’t.” Streetscape, Page 5
Community .................... 14 Bellefonte Cruise ........... 17
DAN MURPHY
MICHAEL BLACK
Black secures Republican nomination for SC mayor Cantorna, Murphy will also appear on the GOP side of the ballot By SEAN YODER syoder@centrecountygazette.com
BELLEFONTE — The write-in votes have been totaled and a couple of Democrats who won primaries also will be listed on the Republican ticket. Bernie Cantorna won the Republican nomination for Centre County district attorney based on write-ins, while Dan Murphy, who will appear as a Democratic candidate for State College Borough Council in the general election, also won a Republican write-in nomination. Michael Black failed to win
Sports............................... 25 Father’s Day ................... 30
the Democratic nod for State College mayor in the primary; however, he secured enough write-in votes to secure the GOP’s candidate spot on the November ballot. Cantorna, a local attorney, defeated incumbent District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller for the Democratic nomination during the primary election, taking 69.42 percent of the vote to Miller’s 30.41 percent. He also took about 3,600, or 80 percent, of the Republican write-in votes. Black, Page 5
Around & In Town ......... 33 What’s Happening ......... 35
Puzzles ............................ 36 Business .......................... 37
Bellefonte Cruise Party! Join Us 6/16 & 6/17 - Fun For All! Elvis Impersonator, Quackers the Duck, & Face Painting by Leah (Friday Evening & All Saturday) Star Wars Characters (Saturday 2-4pm) • Pizza Eating Contest (Saturday 2pm) • And MORE SURPRISES
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