GAZETTE THE CENTRE COUNTY
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New arts, entertainment and event planner begins on Page 29.
September 17-23, 2015
Volume 7, Issue 37
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Candidates announced to replace Lunsford By ALEXA LEWIS news@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — Both the Centre County Republican and Democratic committees have announced their nominations for the Tuesday, Nov. 3, special judicial election, returning from Labor Day weekend to find out they had less than a week to fill a vacancy in the ballot. The vacancy comes after Centre County Court of Common Pleas Judge Bradley Lunsford announced on Sept. 4 that he will not seek to remain on the bench, despite starting a retention campaign a few months ago. After eight individuals were interviewed, the Centre County Democratic Committee nominated attorney Katie Oliver, of McQuaide Blasko law firm, in its meeting on Sept. 8. That same evening, the county’s Republican Committee nominated attorney Ron McGlaughlin, of At-
torneys Stover and McGlaughlin. Both candidates are officially on the ballot after both county political committees relayed their recommendations to their respective state committees, which then filed paperwork with the Pennsylvania Department of State. Four other individuals also vied for the Republican nomination, Dave Mason, Ashley Kranich, Louis Lombardi and District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker, said Steve Miller, the chairman of the county’s Republican Party. Greg Stewart, the chair of the Centre County Democratic Committee, said he was not able to release the names of the other individuals interested in the Democratic nomination. “All of a sudden, we had to find someone in basically four business days,” Stewart said. He said the State Department notified his committee of the vacancy the same day Lunsford filed his decision to withdraw,
BRADLEY LUNSFORD
and explained that in this case parties fill vacancies instead of a primary election. Because the position is technically a state office, Stewart said, the state’s Democratic Party Executive Committee had to vote on and file the nomination, but the state group asked for the county committee’s recommenda-
tion. After local Democrats nominated Oliver, the state’s Democratic Party approved the nomination the following day and filed paperwork with the Department of State in Harrisburg by the Sept. 4 deadline, Stewart said. Despite the small timeframe that both
committees had to nominate a candidate, Stewart said he is happy with his group’s recommendation. “I am happy that she has bipartisan support,” he said. “I’m confident that had she been running in a primary, she may have easily won both nominations.” Oliver joined McQuaide Blasko in 1995, and with about 20 years of experience under her belt, she has focused mostly on civil matters. She also worked as a federal pro bono mediator in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and has focused on medical and legal malpractice cases, according to McQuaide Blasko’s website. “I think that my broad experience gives me knowledge as far as things that we might look at in Centre County to help things run more smoothly and efficiently,” Oliver said. Candidates, Page 5
Soup ‘R Dogs looks to fill void at Nittany Mall By CHRIS MORELLI editor@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — Whenever she shopped at the Nittany Mall, Stephanie Kozel noticed the mall lacked one big thing — it didn’t have a food court. “I’m originally from the West Coast,” Kozel said. “This is the first mall I’ve ever seen that doesn’t have a food court.” With that in mind, Kozel has opened Soup ‘R Dogs. The main menu item, of course, is specialty hot dogs. But there are a pleth-
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT ora of menu choices, including homemade hot sausage, chili, macaroni and cheese and Meyer Dairy ice cream. “I saw the need and I wanted to bring something different; something the area hasn’t seen before,” Kozel explained. Soup ‘R Dogs, Page 8
ALEXA LEWIS/For the Gazette
SAFETY FIRST: Flashing pedestrian beacons, such as the one shown above at right, have been installed on the ground near State College Area High School to ensure the safety of State High students and teachers.
School safety tops list for State High administrators By ALEXA LEWIS
news@centrecountygazette.com
CHRIS MORELLI/The Gazette
DOG DAYS: Soup ‘R Dogs recently opened in the Nittany Mall. Pictured, from left, are Jim Kozel and co-owners Stephanie Kozel and James Flug. Opinion ............................ 9 Health & Wellness ..... 10, 11
Education ....................... 12 Community ............... 13-17
STATE COLLEGE — Safety is at the top of the State College Area School District’s priority list as the next phase of construction at State High approaches. By early October, contractors anticipate finishing the Summer Project, which focused on building a loop road around the South Building for when the back of the building serves as the new front entrance during the main construction phase. After bids are awarded in November, construction will begin in
Dining Out ...................... 18 Gazette Gameday ...... 19-22
Fall Home Improvement 23 Sports ......................... 24-28
December or early January. “The plan is really throughout the school year to minimize the disturbance and maximize safety for students,” said Chris Rosenblum, a spokesperson for the school district. “The reality is that there is going to be construction during the school year, but administration has taken careful steps to ensure that the education experience isn’t compromised.” On Sept. 8, the district announced that it installed flashing pedestrian beacons at one of the high school’s Westerly Parkway crosswalks to safeguard Safety, Page 6
Around & In Town .... 29-34 Puzzles ............................ 35
Business ..................... 37, 38 Classified ........................ 39