Mariana Forteza Site

Thousands of people flocked to downtown State College on a sunny Saturday afternoon to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ community.



Presented by Centre LGBTQA Support Network, Downtown State College Improvement District and State College Borough, the third annual State College Pride <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/community/parade-festival-among-state-college-pride-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">included</a> a parade of colorful floats and marchers through town and a festival in Sidney Friedman Park, among other events throughout the weekend.



State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, served as grand marshal of the parade and festival. A frequent visitor to Centre County, Kenyatta is the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.



He called 2023 &#8220;probably the most important year for Pride in a really long time,&#8221; noting a vocal anti-LGBTQ contingent and legislation in a number of states, particularly related to transgender individuals. 



&#8220;In this moment, in this Pride year, what we are doing right now, showing up with joy in our hearts, showing up for and with each other in real community, that is critical right now,&#8221; Kenyatta said. &#8220;Because this is actually what our communities look like. This is actually where most people are&#8230; Do not believe the noise and the nonsense that most people are as hateful and vitriolic as some of the politicians who unfortunately get elected&#8230;. For Pride, it’s really critical for us as a community that we recognize our joy does not exist in contrast to their hatred.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-kenyatta-lane-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424953"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, State College Pride grand marshal, and Judge Timika Lane lead the 2023 Pride parade. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



Pennsylvania, Kenyatta said, should aspire to be the best place to live, raise a family and retire for everyone, including LGBTQ people.



&#8220;We deserve to be happy, to be joyous, to be just who you are every single day, no matter what they’re talking about, no matter what they’re doing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You just be who the hell you are.&#8221;



State College Mayor Ezra Nanes acknowledged that some in attendance may be feeling scared, worried or uncertain because of events nationally. 



&#8220;It’s OK to feel that,&#8221; Nanes said. &#8220;I want you to know that me, Ezra Nanes, my family, the Borough of State College, we are here for you. We will always be here for you. We’re going to keep building on the amazing work that you’ve already done, that we’ve already done together.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-3-1024x751.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424937"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-8-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424942"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



Nanes issued a proclamation last week declaring June as Pride Month in the borough, and as the parent of an LGBTQ child, he called Pride &#8220;not just principle,&#8221; but also personal.



&#8220;One of the greatest joys in life, whether you’re a parent or a sibling or just an adult with a child in your life that matters, is supporting that child in discovering who they are,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think that’s a really important principle of what Pride is, that we all believe in helping people discover themselves, not telling them who they should be.&#8221;



State Rep. Paul Takac, D-Lemont, said Pride is also personal for him and his family and called it a &#8220;joyful occasion.



&#8220;This represents the absolute best of what State College is and can be,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This sets the standard for what every day should be like. You are not only seen, you are not only accepted, but you should be celebrated and you should be loved. If we could bottle today and make every day like that, wouldn’t this be a better world, a better place to be?&#8221;



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<figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption">Scenes from the 2023 Pride parade in downtown State College. Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



Timika Lane, a Philadelphia judge who is running for Pennsylvania Superior Court in November, emphasized the importance of individuals making their voices heard to ensure all are treated with dignity and respect.



&#8220;We have to decide in Pennsylvania, what is it going to be? Are we going to be a place of love or are we going to be a place of hate?&#8230; Your voice matters,&#8221; Lane said.



Kenyatta urged those in attendance to be true to themselves, knowing that it will inspire someone else to do the same.



&#8220;If we lift each other up, if we encourage each other to be brave, if we remind ourselves that we are the majority of this commonwealth, that we are the majority of this nation, when we do that then we will continue to pull this nation closer to making the ideals of freedom, justice and fairness real for everybody,&#8221; he said. &#8220;No matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter who you love, no matter how you worship or choose not to, here in Pennsylvania it’s about you getting a fair shot and a fair shake. We’re going to keep doing that together.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-9-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424943"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



State College Pride has grown substantially since it was first held in 2021. Last year it drew an estimated 4,000 people and organizers expected that number would increase again for the third edition.



The <a href="https://www.centrelgbtqa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centre LGBTQA Support Network</a> (CLSN), which was founded in 2014, has been instrumental in that, as well as in providing resources year round. Sue Marshall, a founding member and current board secretary, said planning for next year&#8217;s Pride will start next week.



In the shorter term, however, CLSN will be celebrating another advancement. A long-planned LGBTQ center for downtown State College will open sometime in August at the corner of Calder Way and South Pugh Street, Marshall said.



&#8220;We can’t wait,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We will have a big opening celebration.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-anchor-arrow-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424949"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Community members danced while Anchor &amp; Arrow played at the 2023 State College Pride festival on Saturday, June 10, in Sidney Friedman Park. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>

‘Showing Up with Joy in Our Hearts.’ State College Celebrates Pride

There may be just one person who claims not to know who will start at quarterback for Penn State football when the team begins its season against West Virginia on Sept. 2.



While Drew Allar has been set as the presumed successor to longtime starting quarterback Sean Clifford since the day that he stepped onto Penn State’s campus in January 2022, James Franklin didn’t declare a winner to the Nittany Lions’ quarterback competition with 86 days until the season opener.



“We have competition at every single position, every single year, returning starter or not,” Franklin told the media on Thursday. “I think that’s the right thing to do.”



Allar’s competition at the position is Beau Pribula, who, like Allar, was a member of the Nittany Lions’ recruiting Class of 2022. The difference between the two was that Allar was a five-star recruit by the time he arrived on campus. Pribula was a three-star.



More recently, Allar took snaps behind Clifford in the 2022 season. The youngster played in enough games that he was unable to take a redshirt season. By contrast, Pribula didn’t take a snap in a Penn State game until the Blue-White Game in April, when he attempted 22 of his 27 passes with second-string players.



Franklin’s hesitation to name a starter isn’t surprising. Entering his 10th year with Penn State, Franklin wants competition at the position. It’s likely that Allar will only stick around Penn State for two more years. Franklin will need someone to step up when the Ohio native is gone.



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It’s a situation that Franklin has had before. From 2016-17, he had running backs Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders on the same roster. Barkley was a shout for a Heisman candidate in college, and when Sanders turned pro, he reached last season’s Super Bowl as the starting running back for the Philadelphia Eagles.



At Penn State, Barkley was the evident starter. But Franklin said that competition between the two made them both better. If Franklin has his way, the same will happen to Allar and Pribula.



“I think at times there may have been some frustration with that, but I truly believe that type of competition in college really set them up to be successful in the NFL,” Franklin said. “[Barkley] always had somebody behind him trying to take reps away from him. And [Sanders], as a young player, was trying to overtake [Barkley]. So I think that is a healthy position to be in.”



Franklin also has to answer the question of how he’ll use each quarterback. As Mike Yurcich, Penn State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach said at the same press conference, each quarterback has different styles. Gameplans have to be tailored to those styles.



Allar’s been described as a quarterback who’s steady in the pocket. Teammates have raved about his ability to place passes in locations where only a receiver can catch them. Allar can be mobile but his arm is what really sets him apart from the pack.



Pribula, however, is described as athletic. He’s the quarterback that Franklin and Yurcich could turn to when they need to push a pile or in a situation that calls for a mobile quarterback. He’s the Nittany Lions’ alternate.



However Franklin plays the two quarterbacks, it will likely be some time before Penn State fans have an answer to the question that’s hung over the program for more than a year. Franklin noted that he wanted Clifford to compete for a starting role for the six years that the recent&nbsp;<a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/04/29/sean-clifford-drafted-no-149-overall-by-green-bay-packers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NFL draftee</a>&nbsp;spent in Happy Valley. The same will apply to Allar.



If Franklin has 86 days to name a starter against the Mountaineers, he may just use all 86.

‘We Have Competition at Every Single Position’: Penn State Quarterback Question Still Unanswered

A whimsical holiday show combining Broadway-style production and contemporary circus arts is coming to Penn State&#8217;s Bryce Jordan Center in December.



<a href="https://bjc.psu.edu/cirque-dreams-holidaze%E2%80%AF%E2%80%AF" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cirque Dreams Holidaze</a> will visit State College for a 7:30 p.m. performance on Dec. 13, according to the Jordan Center.



Tickets starting at $35 go on sale beginning at 10 a.m. Friday <a href="https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/02005EC748F998D4?CAMEFROM=CFC_PSU_WEB_WEBSITEBJC_CDBJCWEB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">online</a>.



Cirque Dreams Holidaze, a Cirque du Soleil company, will feature aerial circus acts, jugglers, skippers and acrobatics, along with music, singers and dancers during its 70-city, seven-week U.S. tour.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze Coming to Bryce Jordan Center

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/transparency-tracker">Penn State Transparency Tracker</a>&nbsp;is an ongoing effort by Spotlight PA to document and share the ways in which the university is, and is not, being transparent with the community. Due to its special “state-related” designation, Penn State is not subject to open records laws beyond the public disclosure of basic financial information. The goal of the Transparency Tracker is to provide insight not only into Spotlight PA’s reporting process but also how Penn State responds to routine media inquiries.



STATE COLLEGE — During fiscal year 2022, Penn State paid more than $4.3 million to five private law firms — Ballard Spahr, Duane Morris, McGuireWoods, McQuaide Blasko and Saul Ewing — according to information filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Education.



The university retains private lawyers in addition to having its own 26-member Office of General Counsel tasked with providing “legal advice and representation to the Board of Trustees, the President and other administrators in their capacity as agents conducting University business,” according to the office’s website.



The internal legal unit is operating in fiscal year 2023 with a budget of $11.4 million, according to information filed with the state.



Spotlight PA has previously reported on the lack of transparency in the use of private law firms by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2022/12/governor-pa-tom-wolf-legal-bills-transparency/">former Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2021/10/pennsylvania-legislature-legal-bills-private-lawyers/">state lawmakers</a>. For that reporting, the newsroom used open records requests to better understand the practice. However, similar requests to Penn State are not subject to open records laws due to the university’s special status as a “state-related” institution.



Interested in learning more about how Penn State uses private law firms, Spotlight PA asked Penn State the following questions:



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>What are the circumstances in which Penn State pays for outside counsel to represent them or provide legal advice instead of using the university’s Office of General Counsel?</li>



<li>What policies govern the approval of contracts between the university and outside organizations? Similarly, in what situations does the Board of Trustees have insight into or decision-making powers over the authorization of contracts with outside organizations?</li>
</ol>



Penn State responded in an email:



“Management of the University’s legal function is the responsibility of the Vice President and General Counsel, who reports to both the president of the University and the Board of Trustees,” a university spokesperson wrote. “Penn State engages outside counsel on litigation matters and other matters as determined by the Vice President and General Counsel to be necessary or appropriate under the circumstances.



“With 24 campuses, 90,000 students, and nearly 35,000 employees, the services provided by the Office of General Counsel are critical to operations. Like most other universities across the nation, as an example, Penn State’s Office of General Counsel deals with a wide range of legal matters, including licensing, affiliation agreements, insurance, real estate, zoning and land use, intellectual property rights, affirmative action, employment, safety, research, hospital facilities and licensure, accreditation, federal contracts, ADA compliance, conflicts of interest, airport regulations and environmental concerns — to name just a few.”



Seeking clarity, Spotlight PA followed up with this question:



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>What criteria does the Vice President and General Counsel use to determine when outside legal counsel is “necessary or appropriate”?</li>
</ol>



Penn State responded in an email:



“The Vice President and General Counsel makes these decisions based on his professional judgment after assessment of relevant facts and circumstances,” a university spokesperson wrote in an email.



Later, a university spokesperson sent Spotlight PA a link to the&nbsp;<a href="https://policy.psu.edu/policies/ad49">policy governing the Office of General Counsel</a>, which states: “The General Counsel is responsible for determining when certain matters require the retention of outside counsel. Attorneys within the Office of General Counsel will retain and supervise the representation of outside counsel.”



Based on that information, here’s what you need to know:



Decisions about when and how Penn State hires outside law firms are made internally. The public does not have much insight into these decisions, except when an outside firm is named in court filings or when the university files information with the Pennsylvania Department of Education. However, such filings with the department are made at least six months after the private law firms have been paid.



Have an idea for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/transparency-tracker">Penn State Transparency Tracker</a>? Submit tips or questions to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wmassey@spotlightpa.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wmassey@spotlightpa.org</a>. You can also share documents and other materials to help make our reporting more robust. Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/transparency-tracker">sharing such information here</a>.



SUPPORT THIS JOURNALISM and help us reinvigorate local news in north-central Pennsylvania at <a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/donate?campaign=701Dn000000Ygq1IAC&amp;utm_source=www.spotlightpa.org&amp;utm_medium=statecollege:section&amp;utm_campaign=statecollege:main">spotlightpa.org/statecollege</a>. Spotlight PA is funded by <a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/support">foundations and readers like you</a> who are committed to accountability and public-service journalism that gets results.

Penn State Has a 26-person, $11.4-Million Legal Unit. Why Does It Hire Outside Law Firms?

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For those who have ever looked up the night sky in wonder, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Penn State will offer&nbsp;<a href="https://reg127.imperisoft.com/PennStateOlli/ProgramDetail/3632383130/Registration.aspx">&#8220;Cosmology: The Nature of the Universe</a>,&#8221; a summer course designed by Kevin Luhman, professor of astronomy and astrophysics in the Eberly College of Science at Penn State.



Luhman has the distinction of having the third-closest-known star system to the sun,&nbsp;<a href="https://science.psu.edu/news/closest-star-system-found-century">Luhman 16</a>, named in his honor after he discovered the binary brown dwarf system in 2013. Since 2017, Luhman has been sharing his expertise through a variety of astronomy related courses offered by OLLI at Penn State.



“Many people find astronomy to be a fascinating subject because it encompasses&nbsp;some of the most fundamental questions that humans have pondered like ‘How was the universe born?’ and ‘What is the fate of the universe?’” Luhman said. “They are also excited to learn about the latest telescopes that have been developed, such as the James Webb Space Telescope.”



Luhman will examine those questions during the in-person course presented by OLLI at Penn State from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on June 26, 28 and 30. OLLI at Penn State is an outreach program that offers community members aged 50 and above the opportunity to learn, explore and connect through educational experiences, travel, social and volunteer opportunities.



Longtime OLLI at Penn State member Young Hee Cho said she will register for the course, just like she does every time Luhman gives an OLLI at Penn State lecture.



“You could say I am a ‘groupie,’” Cho said. “I would take his class even if I had taken it before, because Dr. Luhman’s course is very current. There is always something new to learn.”



The course is one of many offerings during OLLI at Penn State’s two summer semester sessions that run June 20–30 and July 10–21.



OLLI at Penn State Director Brynn Rousselin said summer sessions are a great opportunity for members to explore, whether it be the cosmos or out in the local community.



“During the summer, in addition to our traditional in-person and online classroom-based courses, we focus heavily on a category of programming titled ‘<a href="https://reg127.imperisoft.com/PennStateOlli/Search/Registration.aspx">Go &amp; Explore</a>.’ These courses invite OLLI members to discover some of the area’s hidden gems or experience one of their favorite places in a whole new way,” Rousselin said.



Other experiences offered this summer include an&nbsp;<a href="https://reg127.imperisoft.com/PennStateOlli/ProgramDetail/3632373131/Registration.aspx">Art Walking Tour: Downtown State College</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://reg127.imperisoft.com/PennStateOlli/ProgramDetail/3632353331/Registration.aspx">Finding Fort Roberdeau</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://reg127.imperisoft.com/PennStateOlli/ProgramDetail/3632353231/Registration.aspx">Rhoneymeade Arboretum and Sculpture Garden Tour</a>&nbsp;and more.



Search and register for courses on the&nbsp;<a href="https://olli.psu.edu/university-park/courses/">OLLI at Penn State website</a>&nbsp;or learn more by calling 814-867-4278.

Registration Open for OLLI at Penn State Summer Courses

A downtown block party and an art exhibition with the theme &#8220;Threading the Fabric of Freedom&#8221; will highlight State College&#8217;s fourth annual Juneteenth commemoration this weekend.



The events celebrate the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth became a state holiday in Pennsylvania in 2019 and a federal holiday in 2021.



Here&#8217;s a look at what&#8217;s planned around State College.



Thursday, June 15



At 2 p.m. on Thursday, a free livestream and panel discussion of the new documentary film “<a href="https://www.annenbergclassroom.org/resource/juneteenth-exploring-freedoms-stories/">Juneteenth: Exploring Freedom Stories</a>,” hosted by Penn State Outreach and Online Education and the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, will examine the history of Juneteenth and its importance to the American idea of freedom.



Andrea &#8220;Ang&#8221; Reidell, director of outreach and curriculum for the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics, and Richard D&#8217;Von Daily, a Penn State doctoral candidate in U.S. history and African American studies will moderate the panel discussion following the livestream. 



Panelists will include Eric Foner, professor emeritus of history at Columbia University; Daina Ramey Berry, dean of humanities and fine arts at the University of California Santa Barbara; Justin Schwartz, Penn State executive vice president and provost, Penn State; and Cathleen D. Cahill, acting director of the George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center, and professor of Middle-American history at Penn State.



The streaming event is free and open to the public. Register <a href="https://wpsumm.wufoo.com/forms/s131arn615lcpxb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">online</a>.



Friday, June 16



Hosted by State College Chapter of the NAACP in partnership with Center for Performing Arts at Penn State, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and State College Borough, State College’s annual Juneteenth celebration begins at 6 p.m. on Friday with a public <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/804094391277580" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">opening reception for an art exhibition</a> at the Woskob Family Gallery, 146 S. Allen St. The exhibition features works in a variety of media with a theme of &#8220;Threading the Fabric of Freedom.&#8221;



“It is important for us to add to the celebration of Juneteenth by including an art exhibition that allows individuals to express their thoughts about Juneteenth, about peace, equity and social justice,” Grace Hampton, curator and professor emerita of art and former vice provost at Penn State, said in a statement. “We are expecting artists from around the community and the country to contribute their works to the exhibition. We’ll be showcasing artists of different ages and backgrounds, and art works in a range of different genres.”



A diverse panel will serve as judges for the exhibition, which will include works from students in grades two through 12, along with adult artists. Certificates and awards will be announced at the opening reception.



The exhibition will be open 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday and will remain on display through June 21.



Edgar Farmer, Penn State professor emeritus of education, was the 2022 festival’s invited featured artist, and he was honored for his wood sculptures, including “An African Tribal King,” “My Queen,” and “Creation for Barbara.” A panel of judges awarded first prize to Fakeye Olaniyi from Osgobo, Nigeria, for “Nigerian Woman,” and to local artist Barry King for “Homage to Dr. Donna King.”



Saturday, June 17



The Juneteenth Block Party will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday on the 100 block of South Fraser Street and in the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza. 



“We are so grateful to continue collaborating in solidarity with the State College NAACP, the State College Borough and all the partners involved in this community-wide event to celebrate Black liberation, entrepreneurship and creativity in central Pennsylvania”, Sita Frederick, director of the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State, said in a statement.



Performances will include a variety of musicians, poets and dancers. Headliners are Philadelphia-based drum-and-vocals duo McKie &amp; Res and Baltimore-based jazz musician Warren Wolf.



The day also will feature food trucks, a market showcasing Black vendors and family-friendly activities. Community members will have the opportunity to help create a Story Quilt in conjunction with the celebration&#8217;s &#8220;Threading the Fabric of Freedom&#8221; theme.



&#8220;Historically, individuals worked in secret, armed with needle and thread, to create a visual language mapping the way to freedom,&#8221; Leslie Laing, State College NAACP education chair, said in a statement. &#8220;Shapes, symbols, textures and colors were often weaved together to celebrate family events such as marriage, a birth, keeping record of those we loved as they were sent to other places. Quilts like memories, and traditions are passed down from one generation to the next.”



Organizers encouraged community members to attend the weekend events.



“This celebration is important to the community and the values its members hold, and the State College Borough recognizes that,&#8221; Chiluvya Zulu, borough director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, said in a statement. &#8220;Supporting the annual Juneteenth commemoration is one of the ways the Borough contributes toward building a diverse, inclusive and welcoming community and creates a sense of belonging.&#8221;

Block Party, Art Exhibition to Celebrate Juneteenth in State College

<a href="https://specialolympicspa.org/sports-and-games/summer-games" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Special Olympics Pennsylvania</a> (SOPA ) will host its 54th annual Summer Games Thursday through Saturday at Penn State’s University Park campus, bringing together more than 1,650 athletes and 600 coaches from across the commonwealth to compete in eight sports.



Opening ceremonies will begin at 7:15 p.m. Thursday in Pegula Ice Arena, a change from the originally planned Medlar Field, according to SOPA. The ceremonies will feature the lighting of the torch and a celebration with State College Spikes, as athletes and attendees take part in dance contests, races, scoreboard games and more.



In addition to symbolizing the start of the Summer Games, the opening ceremonies also will serve as a send-off for two athletes — Loretta Claiborne of York County and Izaak Hobday of Bradford and Sullivan counties, who will represent Pennsylvania and the United States at the Special Olympics Berlin World Games June 17 to 25.



Over the three days of the SOPA Summer Games, athletes will be competing throughout campus in aquatics, athletics, basketball, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, softball and tennis. They also will be offered free health screenings and educational events at the Pollock Commons quad through the Healthy Athletes programs.



See the full Summer Games schedule <a href="https://specialolympicspa.org/images/2023/Competition/2023_Summer_Games_Schedule.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



The first SOPA Summer Games consisted of a track and field meet at West Chester University with 135 athletes. This will be the 34th year the games have been held at Penn State, and the event has grown exponentially.



SOPA’s largest statewide competition, the Summer Games are supported by more than 1,000 volunteers.

Special Olympics Pennsylvania Celebrates 54th Annual Summer Games at Penn State

For the better part of the last six months, Penn State football has found itself in a unique limbo between longtime quarterback Sean Clifford and whoever might get the nod come Week 1 as the Nittany Lions take on West Virginia.



The assumption, of course, is that sophomore quarterback Drew Allar will edge out Beau Pribula for the job. Penn State has spent too much energy developing Allar, too much effort hanging onto him in the recruiting process and simply has too much to lose if Allar — the former five-star prospect — isn&#8217;t named the Nittany Lions&#8217; starter. Even if Pribula is legitimately pushing Allar for the role, head coach James Franklin might not have much of a choice in the matter for a whole handful of reasons.



It&#8217;s fun — for the sake of not much else going on — to contemplate if there really is a competition at quarterback or if Franklin is simply going through the motions, giving Pribula just enough of a sliver of hope and just enough of a role in the offense that he doesn&#8217;t jump for the transfer portal, leaving Penn State with just two quarterbacks on the roster heading into the summer. Even if he doesn&#8217;t start, losing Pribula would be a critical blow to a team that has seen its starting quarterback leave the game with injury every season since 2018.



Even without the benefit of any actual evidence to support this claim, it&#8217;s also fair to contemplate the possibility that Allar isn&#8217;t quite living up to the hype. It seems an unfair assumption to make, given the fact he has shown more flashes than not, and even with a somewhat ho-hum performance in the Blue-White scrimmage, it&#8217;s hard to put too much stock in a game not designed to be much more than a public practice session.



In all likelihood, the answer is probably somewhere in the middle of it all. Allar seems likely to be the starter, Pribula perhaps better than he gets credit for and Allar certainly the benefactor of certain gifts, but still a prospect in need of development.



On the whole, the answer to the question &#8220;should we care that Penn State hasn&#8217;t named Allar the starting quarterback yet?&#8221; is more a thought experiment than it is anything else. It seems worthwhile to note that Franklin himself has talked about Allar in interviews this summer using nearly every nice word he has in his vocabulary without actually saying the word &#8220;starter.&#8221; For their part, Allar&#8217;s teammates have tried to walk the near-impossible tightrope of talking about Allar in tones of an open quarterback competition without winking at the end of every sentence.



Whatever the case might be, however it all shakes out, history might be the best guide to it all.



Because consider this: James Franklin has reasonably needed to name a starting quarterback twice while at Penn State. In his first year, Christian Hackenberg had the job locked up before Franklin stepped foot on campus [for his part, he was named the starter publicly when he took the field against Syracuse under Bill O&#8217;Brien in the 2013 opener], but in 2016 it was Trace McSorley getting the nod officially on August 24, the Wednesday before game week. Then in 2019, Sean Clifford was named the starter on August 23 the Friday before game week. He would hang on to that role for 1,229 days. As for his time at Vanderbilt, Franklin named his last starter, Austyn Carta-Samuels, as the Commodores&#8217; starting quarterback in 2013 on August 21.



“To be honest with you, I doubt it will happen [naming the starting quarterback after the Blue-White Game],&#8221; Franklin said back in 2016. &#8220;We wanna give Tommy [Stevens] every opportunity to fight for the job. We’ll go back and evaluate everything after spring ball’s over, but we’ll most likely take that competition into the summer.”



Fast forward a few years later to the Clifford and Will Levis competition.



“We haven’t even talked about it. Honestly. Swear to God,” Franklin said after a practice. “We haven’t even discussed it at this point. “We’re obviously getting close to that, but we haven’t had a discussion yet on quarterback — or really on any position when it comes to depth charts and rotations and stuff like that.”



Penn State would name Clifford the starter two days later.



Now earlier this April as Allar and Pribula battle for the job:



&#8220;It&#8217;s been a really good competition,&#8221; Franklin said. &#8220;Those guys are battling. Sometimes it&#8217;s hard to compare and contrast. Our No. 1 defense is good and talented, so we&#8217;re making sure Drew gets reps with [the second-team offense] and Beau with the [first-team offense] and vice versa. Those things are important. Those two guys are both battling.&#8221;



So should you worry that Allar hasn&#8217;t been named the starting quarterback? Not yet. In fact, if history is our guide, it might not happen for a while now.

No Starting Quarterback Yet? Don’t Worry, Franklin History Suggests Late August Announcement

Looking for some fun out of the sun this weekend?



Pegula Ice Arena is hosting its “Summer Kick-Off Carnival” from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The carnival will feature a 70-foot inflatable obstacle course and a bounce house on the varsity rink inside Pegula Ice Arena.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Screen-Shot-2023-06-01-at-12.24.36-PM-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-572837"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Courtesy of Pegula Ice Arena</figcaption></figure>



Additionally, there will be face painting, games, prizes and popcorn, and folks can ice skate on the community rink, too.



Admission is $20 which includes skate rentals, inflatable and bounce house access, and tickets for popcorn and cotton candy.&nbsp;

Pegula Ice Arena to Host Summer Kick-Off Carnival

This story first appeared in Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA’s State College regional bureau featuring the most important news and happenings in north-central Pennsylvania.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown">Sign up for free here.</a>



Penn State’s accrediting agency is seeking more information from the university about student life, treatment of student-athletes and use of third-party services for students, with a decision on whether or not to take action slated for July.



During the 2022-23 academic year, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, a federally recognized accrediting service for universities, requested Penn State send materials about student success and institutional ethics policies.



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“The requests from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education are part of routine follow-up if MSCHE requires any additional information,” Penn State wrote in an email to Spotlight PA. “Penn State is complying with all MSCHE requests for details and is affirming our compliance with the standards identified by the commission.”



Accrediting agencies like Middle States monitor universities to ensure they follow federal and state regulations, as well as standards set by the agency and approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Students must attend an accredited institution to receive federal financial aid.



An accrediting agency can warn a university its accreditation may be at risk or place a university on probation if the institution violates agency guidelines or federal regulations, for example. The agency can withdraw accreditation or deny future accreditation if problems are not resolved.



Middle States warned Penn State in 2012 that the institution’s accreditation was in jeopardy following the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal and the subsequent Freeh Report, which documented institutional failings that reportedly led to the scandal. Penn State’s accreditation was later reaffirmed.



The accrediting agency’s policy bars the public release of the commission’s request or Penn State’s answers, though a Middle States spokesperson told Spotlight PA in a March email that it sought documents “in response to two different media reports, one relating to an investigation involving student athletes and another relating to alleged hazing by a student organization.”



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Last summer, unsealed search warrants revealed that at least one Penn State student-athlete was reportedly extorted in fall 2021 into&nbsp;<a href="https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/penn-state/article262549167.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sending sexually explicit photos and videos</a>&nbsp;— including videos of naked or partially naked people in the football team’s locker room and videos showing multiple men having sex with a woman — to the alleged extortionist. Charges were not filed in the case. The university said at the time that it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2022/08/penn-state-athletes-extortion-unanswered-questions/">did not have evidence that the sexual acts in the videos were not consensual</a>.



In February, the university said an internal investigation in 2021 determined that misconduct occurred in the Lion Ambassadors, a student group responsible for giving campus tours to prospective students. However, the university said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2023/02/penn-state-hazing-university-tours-lion-ambassadors/">its review did not substantiate allegations of hazing</a>&nbsp;that a former Lion Ambassador publicly leveled against the program last summer.



A Middle States spokesperson initially told Spotlight PA that the agency would issue a decision related to the requested materials in March or April.



However, according to the commission’s website, Middle States requested additional materials from Penn State in April, including documents that show:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>“A campus climate that fosters respect among all constituencies, including but not limited to intercollegiate athletic programs and student groups.”</li>



<li>“Student life programs that are regulated by the same principles and procedures that govern all other programs.”</li>



<li>“Periodic assessment of programs in support of the student experience.”</li>



<li>“Adequate and appropriate institutional review and approval of student support services designed, delivered or assessed by third-parties.”</li>
</ul>



What triggered that request is unclear. However, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/unitedhealth-healthcare-insurance-denial-ulcerative-colitis">ProPublica investigation</a>&nbsp;in February revealed that Penn State’s student health insurance provider, UnitedHealthcare, paid the salary of the university employee who coordinates coverage for students, a potential conflict of interest. The university&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2023/03/penn-state-salaries-student-health-insurance/">declined to disclose how many other employees are in similar situations</a>&nbsp;or how the public can identify those employees.



The university’s deadline to provide the most recently requested materials is July 5, according to the agency’s website. Middle States plans issue a decision following their receipt, an agency spokesperson wrote in an email to Spotlight PA.



Penn State remains accredited and in good standing with Middle States at this time.



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Penn State’s Accrediting Agency Requests Documents on Student Life, Treatment of Student-Athletes

As James Franklin and his staff aim to make good on their recruiting mantra of &#8220;dominate the state,&#8221; Penn State football is looking to hire a director of high school relations.



The position was posted on Penn State&#8217;s job listing website on Wednesday and includes a handful of tasks for in- and out-of-season work for the new role, which primarily focuses on the relationships the program has with high schools in and outside of Pennsylvania.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Assist in getting teams to the Penn State Football’s Lion Strong 7on7 and Big Man Challenge Camps.</li>



<li>Assist in Penn State Football’s annual clinic for high school coaches from throughout the region.</li>



<li>Reach out to 5 High School / Junior College Head Coaches a day.</li>



<li>Assist with all Unofficial Visits &amp; Official Visits.</li>



<li>Assist with recruiting&nbsp; on gamedays.</li>



<li>Serve as staff’s liaison to the Pennsylvania State Football Coaches Association (PSFCA) and assist the group with their annual coaching clinic held locally.</li>



<li>Assist the recruiting staff’s efforts with respect to writing, texting and direct messaging high school football coaches to establish a relationship and keep them informed of all events and changes in the football program.</li>



<li>Mentor all student athletes by having a presence at all workout, practices, and in the training room; meet with student athletes.</li>
</ul>



Penn State is entering its 10th season under Franklin, who is in the process of working to land another top 10 recruiting class for the 2024 cycle. The potential haul of future Nittany Lions is currently ranked the No. 7 class overall, with 14 verbal commitments already in the fold. Penn State&#8217;s incoming 2023 class finished off the cycle ranked the No. 14 in the nation, according to the 247 Network.

Penn State Football Set to Add Director of High School Relations

Poems written by residents of Centre Care nursing home’s memory care unit are on display throughout June in the Betsy Rodgers Allen Gallery at Schlow Centre Region Library in State College.



An annual celebration of the nonprofit <a href="https://www.ridgelineslanguagearts.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ridgelines Language Arts</a> semester-long program of the same name, “A Poem in Our Eyes” highlights the rich intellectual and creative capacities of those living with memory loss. Poems and images will be on display, forming an exhibition that sets verbal and visual art in conversation, honors the imaginations of those living with memory loss and challenges conventional notions of disability.



This show consists of poetry written collaboratively by residents of Centre Care&#8217;s memory support neighborhood, Stanton Court, in response to photographs. Teaching artist Robyn Ryzdy, who has led this Ridgelines’ program since 2019, finds that the participants respond best to brightly colored images that include people, animals or familiar scenes. Abstract art and shadowy pictures don’t resonate as well for these storytellers.



“It’s been my pleasure to meet weekly with participants to look at, think about, talk about, and laugh about these and many other images, as well as the memories and feelings they evoke,” Ryzdy said.



During each session, Rydzy encourages her students to respond to the artwork, posing questions such as:&nbsp;What do you see? How does it make you feel? What would you like to do there? What is the weather like in this picture? What happens before, or after?



“As the teaching artist, I let everyone know that we’re here to let our imaginations run loose—there are no right or wrong answers,&#8221; Rydzy said. &#8220;Whatever people say gets written on a white board for all to see. Although my hand is involved in copying down and lineating the poems, all of the words and titles come directly from participants.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Centre-Care-Class-Photo-1.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="425958" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Centre-Care-Class-Photo-1-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-425958"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/TA-R-Rydzy-mounting-2023-exhibit-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="425959" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/TA-R-Rydzy-mounting-2023-exhibit-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-425959"/></a></figure>
<figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption">Left, Centre Care memory care residents work on poetry in response to art. Right, Robyn Ryzdy hangs the poems for the exhibit at Schlow Centre Region Library. Photos provided.</figcaption></figure>



“Our poetry programs at Centre Care have been running strong for over a decade and were part of the inspiration for creating Ridgelines as a nonprofit,” Abby Minor, Ridgelines founding director, said. “Participants are&nbsp;teachers, mothers, fathers, seamstresses, mowers of cemeteries, fishermen and women, dancers and church-goers, storytellers and makers of poems.”



A primary goal of&nbsp; “A Poem in Our Eyes” is to provide rich intellectual experiences for those living with memory loss and increase mental and emotional well-being. The weekly sessions also foster social inclusion and provide a vehicle for communicating with others in a creative way. Each session offers participants an experience that allows them to know that their words and imaginings are valued, and provides the satisfaction of making something new.&nbsp;



“As a librarian who strives to engage our community through meaningful, lifelong learning opportunities, I’m honored to partner with Ridgelines every June for ‘A Poem in Our Eyes,’&#8221; Maria Burchill, head of Adult Services at Schlow, said. &#8220;This show, and the program it represents, are outstanding community-building achievements. The efforts of the poet and artist teachers not only unite our loved ones with their creativity, but the program also allows them to express their memories and innermost feelings. A masterfully led event, the results are displayed for public enjoyment and meditation.&#8221;



For people looking to engage those living with memory loss through images, pictures, artworks or other creative processes, these resources have been valuable to “A Poem in Our Eyes”:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>TimeSlips&nbsp;(<a href="http://www.timeslips.org/">www.timeslips.org</a>) offers simple tools and training on bringing creativity into memory care.</li>



<li>Pictures to Share (<a href="https://picturestoshare.co.uk/">picturestoshare.co.uk</a>) is a publisher of books designed to engage people with memory loss.</li>



<li>Creativity and Communication in Persons with Dementia, by Claire Craig &amp; John Killick (2012), outlines many kinds of creative projects designed for those living with memory loss.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



“A Poem in Our Eyes” and other Ridgelines programs are made possible by support from individuals, local businesses and granting agencies. Ridgelines&#8217; 2023 programs are supported in part by Centre Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and a Challenge America award from the National Endowment for the Arts.



&nbsp;

‘A Poem in Our Eyes’ Exhibition Features Poetry by Centre Care Residents

With all precincts at least partially reported, Patton Township attorney Julia Rater is the apparent winner of both the Democratic and Republican primaries for Centre County Court of Common Pleas judge.



Rater and Gopal Balachandran waged a hotly contested <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/elections/primary-election-2023-centre-county-judge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">primary campaign</a> for the open seat on the bench created by Judge Pamela Ruest&#8217;s retirement at the beginning of the year.



As of 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Rater led for the Republican nod by nearly 7,000 votes. In the Democratic primary, Rater led Balachandran with 52% of the vote, a margin of 539 votes. 



Both candidates are Democrats and were cross-filed on the Democratic and Republican ballots. Rater, a partner at McQuaide Blasko in State College, touted her focus on family law and experience in civil litigation. Balachandran, director of the Criminal Appellate and Post-Conviction Services Clinic at Penn State Law and a former public defender, campaigned on his criminal law experience.



County judges are elected to 10-year terms and are employees of the state, with a 2023 salary of $212,495.



While the judicial race took center stage during primary season, there was little drama to be found Tuesday in other countywide races, each of which were uncontested.



For county commissioner, three seats are up for election in November, with the top two Democratic and Republican candidates advancing to the general election. Incumbents Mark Higgins and Amber Concepcion were the only candidates on the Democratic ballot, while incumbent Steve Dershem and longtime Ferguson Township business owner Marie Librizzi were the only Republican candidates.



Incumbents for sheriff, controller, prothonotary, coroner and register of wills ran unopposed and with no candidate on the opposite party&#8217;s ballot. Whether any candidates garnered enough write-in votes (at least 100) to capture a nomination in a party primary with no one on the ballot will be determined in the coming days.



Recorder of deeds and treasurer will both be two-person races in November with one candidate running in each of the party&#8217;s primaries. 



Two magisterial district judges up for reelection this year cross-filed on both party ballots and ran unopposed. 



Results are unofficial until certified by the Board of Elections. 



CENTRE COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS JUDGE 1 seat



Democratic Primary



Julia Rater: 6,485



Gopal Balachandran: 5,946



Republican Primary



Julia Rater: 8,459



Gopal Balachandran: 1,481



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



CENTRE COUNTY COMMISSIONER



Democratic Primary



Mark Higgins: 10,645



Amber Cistaro Concepcion: 10,360



Republican Primary



Steven Dershem: 9,604



Marie Librizzi: 6,343



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



CONTROLLER



Democratic Primary



Jason Moser: 11,209



Republican Primary



No candidate filed.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



CORONER



Democratic Primary



Scott A. Sayers: 11,539



Republican Primary



No candidate filed.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



SHERIFF



Democratic Primary



No candidate filed.



Republican Primary



Bryan Sampsel: 10,347



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



TREASURER



Democratic Primary



Colleen Kennedy: 11,379



Republican Primary



Justin Behrens: 9,342



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



PROTHONOTARY



Democratic Primary



Jeremy S. Breon: 11,301



Republican Primary



No candidate filed.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



RECORDER OF DEEDS



Democratic Primary



Robert Zeigler: 11,187



Republican Primary



Joseph L. Davidson: 9,708



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



REGISTER OF WILLS



Democratic Primary



No candidate filed



Republican Primary



Christine Millinder: 9,868



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE 49-2-01



Democratic Primary



Casey McClain: 4,000



Republican Primary



Casey McClain: 2,207



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/>



MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT JUDGE 49-3-03



Democratic Primary



Allen W. Sinclair: 688



Republican Primary



Allen W. Sinclair: 1,168

2023 Primary Election Results: Centre County Judge and Other Countywide Races

Class of 2024 four-star cornerback Jon Mitchell announced his verbal commitment to Penn State football via Twitter on Saturday morning. He joins <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/penn-state-football/penn-state-football-nittany-lions-add-cornerback-to-2024-class/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kenneth Woseley</a> as the second cornerback in the class.



The 6-foot, 177-pound defensive back from Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Florida held offers from the likes of Alabama, Michigan and Tennessee, among other schools, before committing to Penn State, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Jon-Mitchell-151095/RecruitInterests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">247Sports</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAre?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAre</a>🦁 <a href="https://t.co/vLoJRa7xJH">pic.twitter.com/vLoJRa7xJH</a>&mdash; Jon Mitchell (@MitchellxJon) <a href="https://twitter.com/MitchellxJon/status/1642150168907718656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Jon-Mitchell-46127862/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mitchell</a>&nbsp;is ranked as the No. 19 cornerback nationally, the No. 31 overall recruit in Florida and the No. 208 player nationally.



He marks the latest pickup from Florida for Nittany Lion coach James Franklin&#8217;s staff, which most recently signed four-star safeties Elliot Washington from Venice and King Mack from St. Thomas Aquinas in Miami in the 2023 recruiting class.



Mitchell is the sixth player from the Class of 2024 to commit to Penn State. His commitment moves the Nittany Lions’ class up to No. 13 overall and third in the Big Ten behind Michigan and Ohio State, according to 247.



To get a glimpse of what Mitchell brings to Happy Valley, his Hudl tape can be viewed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15221136/Jon-Mitchell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

4-Star Florida Cornerback Commits to Penn State Football’s 2024 Recruiting Class

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