Halie Kines

Permanent takeover of shaky rural PA water company faces another setback Rock Spring Water Company rejected a $65K offer from the State College water authority to buy the system, delaying a permanent solution to shaky service.

Brian Heiser, the water authority’s executive director, explained at the meeting that an attorney for Rock Spring said the company “was not in agreement with the offering price” and did not counter.

Penn State’s proposed closures draw anger, frustration. ‘We still want to be heard’ Some faculty members say they should have been given the report on recommended closures “a long time ago,” and been part of the process.

“It really set into stone the fact that their plan was always to shut us out of this process until the decisions were made," one faculty member said.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Stress, uncertainty mark end of Penn State semester as campus closure decision looms The faculty senate chair characterized morale as “far lower” than it was during the Sandusky scandal.

How low is employee morale at Penn State? Far lower than it was during the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, the faculty senate chair said.

As the community waits to hear which campuses will close, faculty reflect on a stressful & bleak semester: www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Stress, uncertainty mark end of Penn State semester as campus closure decision looms The faculty senate chair characterized morale as “far lower” than it was during the Sandusky scandal.

Morale is lower than it was during the Sandusky child sex abuse scandal over a decade ago, the faculty senate chair said. (excellent story by @haliekines.bsky.social)

Penn State AAUP calls on administration to keep commonwealth campuses open “Penn State AAUP finds the administration derelict in its duty to the students, faculty, staff, and community members of the Commonwealth when it announced statewide campus closures.”

The Penn State chapter of the American Association of University Professors is urging the university’s admin to keep all of the commonwealth campuses open & fully funded, weeks before the decision on which campuses will close is expected to be finalized.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

When will Penn State announce which campuses will close? Bendapudi gives update The decision is no longer planned to come before spring commencement, President Neeli Bendapudi wrote in an email to the commonwealth campus community Thursday.

Penn State will briefly delay its decision on which commonwealth campuses will close, President Neeli Bendapudi told the community in an email Thursday. www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Penn State’s provost voices support for international community as visa terminations rise At least 22 Penn State students have had their visas canceled.

Nearly two weeks after Penn State first confirmed some of its international students had their lawful status revoked, a top university administrator has issued a letter about the situation and offered support to the community.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Ruth Rudy remembered as trailblazer, role model in Centre County politics and beyond Former state Rep. Ruth Rudy died on March 28.

“I always wanted to be some type of a leader, but coming from a farm in central Pennsylvania and being a woman, it was like wishing that I could just all of a sudden go to the moon or Mars,” Rudy said in 2007. @haliekines.bsky.social's story on how this incredible woman shattered the glass ceiling:

George Etzweiler dies at 105 after years of inspiring runners, State College community “I think he was one of those people who just really gets every last drop out of life as possible,” one person said of Etzweiler.

An absolute legend and inspiration to all. Touching story by @haliekines.bsky.social:

Beaver Stadium’s field has a new name, but some Penn State trustees wanted Paterno honored instead “This is a very sad and sobering day in the history of Penn State,” one trustee said.

A group of Penn State trustees pushed back against a $50 million gift that would name the field at Beaver Stadium because they wanted the opportunity to honor former football coach Joe Paterno.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Penn State trustees approve $50M naming rights deal for field at Beaver Stadium. What to know It will be known as the West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium for the next 15 years.

The Penn State board of trustees has approved a name change for the field at Beaver Stadium.

More here:
www.centredaily.com/sports/colle...

‘Long overdue.’ Penn State faculty members are in the process of unionizing “The issues are structural; as such they can only be addressed through structural changes that will come with an empowered faculty. If anything, a faculty union is long overdue,” a website for the Pen...

@haliekines.bsky.social's latest from a big, big Penn State news week.

Penn State trustees won’t put Barry Fenchak on ballot for reelection to board. What to know Out of 19 candidates, Barry Fenchak was the only candidate deemed unqualified to be on the ballot.

The Penn State trustees won't put Barry Fenchak on the ballot in the alumni trustee election, citing concerns about code of conduct violations.

This is the first election under updated bylaws that give trustees more power over who can appear on the ballot. www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

The WHCA responds: "This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps."

Penn State will keep largest commonwealth campuses open, explore closures for others “We have exhausted reasonable alternatives to maintain the current number of campuses,” President Neeli Bendapudi wrote in a statement.

Penn State will explore closing several of its commonwealth campuses, the university president announced today.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Centre County’s transgender community reeling in wake of ‘heartbreaking’ executive orders “There is a profound fear that is running through every corner of daily life for myself and for my trans siblings across the country,” Centre LGBT+ board member Michel Lee Garrett said.

“There is a profound fear that is running through every corner of daily life for myself and for my trans siblings across the country." A story well worth your time today:

‘Imminent health threats’ to water customers lead judge to order emergency takeover A Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission judge approved a request to put Rock Spring Water Company in Centre County under new management.

A private entity is poised to take temporary control of a troubled rural water company after a judge approved an emergency request by Pennsylvania’s consumer advocate.

Penn State says NIH funding cuts could have $35M impact, ‘substantial implications’ The National Institutes of Health announced a change to how much it will reimburse research institutions for overhead costs.

Penn State said the National Institutes of Health funding cuts could have a $35 million impact on the university.

“The loss of these funds will substantially reduce our ability to conduct groundbreaking research, particularly in the health sciences.”
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Former CDT editor, reporter Doug McDonald leaves unforgettable impact on area sports community McDonald died at the age of 91. A visitation to honor him is scheduled for 2-4 p.m. Thursday.

Former CDT sports editor/reporter Doug McDonald died last week. Those who knew him had no shortage of wonderful things to say about him. McDonald was known as a trustworthy reporter who put in the work to make each story shine.

Read more about his impact here: www.centredaily.com/news/local/c...

Former CDT editor, reporter Doug McDonald leaves unforgettable impact on area sports community McDonald died at the age of 91. A visitation to honor him is scheduled for 2-4 p.m. Thursday.

“I’d say, for anyone, if you’re going into journalism or going into any field, the thing is to be honest and tell it like it is, and have a passion for it. And that’s what he had. He had a passion for it." (story by @haliekines.bsky.social)

Will Penn State get a funding increase? Here’s what Gov. Shapiro’s proposed budget includes Pennsylvania’s governor announced his proposed budget for fiscal year 2025-26 on Tuesday.

Second: PA’s governor unveiled his 2025-26 budget proposal with flat funding for general support at Penn State but included additional funds to be distributed to some state-related universities as part of the newly established performance-based funding model.

www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Two Penn State budget related stories from me this week.

First: Penn State’s budget allocations for the fiscal year 2026-27 show funding for commonwealth campuses will be cut by about 7%, or about $25 million.

www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Penn State’s dean of college of communications accepts president role at another university Marie Hardin has been dean since 2014.

After a decade leading Penn State’s college of communications, Dean Marie Hardin is leaving to be the president of a small, private university in Connecticut.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Why Penn State’s latest high-profile hire may have violated PA’s Open Meetings Law “Penn State can and must do better, especially considering the fact that they are currently involved in several lawsuits arising from their Sunshine Act and other transparency practices,” Melissa Mele...

The process Penn State's board of trustees used to hire a new football defensive coordinator may have violated Pennsylvania's Open Meetings Law and raises more questions about the board’s transparency.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

I still have that story from four years ago in my facebook messages waiting for you!! 😉

In return to Penn State, Olympic medalist Stephen Nedoroscik talks about ‘unbelievable’ journey “Pommel Horse Guy” visited Penn State before his Dancing With The Stars tour stop in State College Thursday.

In a visit back to his alma mater, Stephen Nedoroscik, the gymnast who captured America’s heart during the Summer Olympics as “Pommel Horse Guy,” told Penn State students gathered in the HUB’s Heritage Hall Thursday about his “unbelievable” past six months.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Olympic gymnast & Penn State alum Stephen Nedoroscik — Pommel Horse Guy! — is giving a lecture on campus today.

Are Penn State’s commonwealth campuses at risk of closing? Faculty senate seeks answers When asked directly whether commonwealth campuses would close, university leaders did not give a yes or no answer.

The Penn State faculty senate discussed the state of the 19 commonwealth campuses during its meeting yesterday. But when professors asked if some campuses would close, university leaders did not give a yes or no answer.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Beaver Stadium isn’t the only major Penn State project underway. Here’s where 7 others stand One of the most recently completed projects is the new Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building.

Penn State has continued to make progress on its major renovation of Beaver Stadium but there are a number of other projects that will either be completed or see work happen throughout the year:
www.centredaily.com/news/local/e...

Troubled rural water company in PA faces additional legal battle In a legal filing, lawyers for Rock Spring Water Company have asked a court to allow a State College municipal takeover.

A troubled rural water company under investigation by state regulators now faces additional legal action from its own lawyers, who want it to be taken over by a municipal authority.