THE CENTRE COUNTY
GAZETTE www.StateCollege.com
Hotly contested The Hershey’s Track and Field Games were held at Penn State’s track and field facility recently. More than 200 children took part in the games, which were held despite extreme temperatures./Page 19
July 12-18, 2012
Volume 4, Issue 28
BookFestPA ready to write new chapter
FREE COPY
Court date set for Spanier’s PSU lawsuit
By MARJORIE S. MILLER
By LAURA NICHOLS
mmiller@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — “Pretty Little Liars” author Sara Shepard is just one of many featured authors to appear at this year’s BookFestPA, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 14 at Schlow Centre Region Library. In its third year, BookFestPA celebrates books, authors and reading. The event gives attendees the opportunity to meet local writers and nationally known authors, hear imaginative talks, and have books personally autographed. SARA SHEPARD In addition to Shepard, the 2012 BookFestPA will also feature authors Tawni O’Dell, Lee Stout and Artie Bennett. Pat Griffith, head of adult services at Schlow Centre Region Library, said the event, which is a partnership between Schlow Library and the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, drew about 2,000 people last year at the book tent, and about 200 people at the author presentations. BookFestPA, she said, caters to all ages. “We have Tawni O’Dell for the adults, Sara Shepard for the teens and adults, and Artie Bennett for the kids … the local author tent also has a mixed offering for different ages and interests,” she said. Shepard, whose “Pretty Little Liars” book is now the basis for the current TV show of that same name, is also the author of “The Lying Game,” which has become a TV show as well, and “Everything We Ever Wanted,” a mystery based on a college hazing scandal. O’Dell, a State College resident, is a national bestselling author responsible for “Back Roads,” which not only made the list as one Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club selections, but is now in development as a film. Stout, an acclaimed presenter during the inaugural LISA SCOTTOLINE BookFestPA, has just finished his new book, “A Matter of Simple Justice,” a story about the Nixon Administration’s drive to include more women in government. And Bennett, both and author and speaker, wrote “The Butt Book” and “Poopendous,” both of which are geared towards pre-schoolers. Griffith said BookFestPA helps promote reading and education because hearing authors talk about their books oftentimes makes the books more exciting to read. “We have national authors discussing what they have done, and visitors are also able to meet many local authors who could be the ‘national’ authors of tomorrow,” she said. “It is a chance to try a subject or genre that you may not have tried before.” State College is a town of readers, Griffith said, so BookFestPA really provides for the community.
BookFest, Page 6 Opinion ............................ 7 Health & Wellness ............ 8 Send Story Ideas To editor@ centrecountygazette.com
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MAUREEN LOCKARD/The Gazette
SETTING THE SCENE: Workers prepare Allen Street for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. The annual event is expected to draw more than 125,000 people to downtown State College.
Local arts festivals to draw crowds lot,” Bryant said. Food vendors from across the state will set up booths and tents along the STATE COLLEGE — Artistic creativstreet of downtown for the festival. ity will paint the streets of downtown Bryant said vendors will sell their sigState College and Boalsburg as the nature dish whether it be strudel, Central Pennsylvania Festival of the chicken-on-a-stick, or the always popArts and People’s Choice Festival reular hot sausage sandwich. turn on July 11 and 12, respectively. Because of its strong connection to Both festivals will end on July 15. Penn State, Arts Fest offers artisans Since 1967, Arts something other Fest has showcased festivals might not the talents of Pennbe able to. Bryant, sylvania artists and along with Director musicians. Though of Operations Carol changes have been Baney and Director made to the festival of Development over the years, the Diane Bloom, work main goal has rethroughout the year mained the same. to make sure this re“Arts Fest is a mains true. five-day community “Artists love Penn celebration of visual State alumns bearts and performing cause they are an arts that happens educated audience. right here in downIt’s a different way to town State College engage with the uniand on the Penn versity than coming State campus,” said to a sporting event,” Executive Director he said. Rick Bryant. Just 3 miles east With 16 cateof Arts Fest, People’s gories of art in the Choice Festival will Sidewalk Sale and MAUREEN LOCKARD/The Gazette take place on the Exhibition ranging HANGING AROUND: This colorful ground of the Pennfrom ceramics to piece of art is included in the sylvania Military watercolor paintMuseum. ings, Arts Fest has downtown display. Since its creation something for everyone. in 1993, People’s Choice has grown “Anybody should come because we into a well-known summer festival. have good stuff. Lots of people actual“We have all-day activities for chilly buy Christmas gifts there,” Bryant dren and their families each of the said. days of the festival and of course we Arts Fest also offers visitors the have fantastic food and great enterchance to hear live musical performtainment,” co-director Cindy Rockey ances throughout the weekend. said. All outdoor concerts are free to Like Arts Fest, People’s Choice public. showcases the creativity and workPerformances will include folk, manship of Pennsylvania artists. Artirock, jazz and Dixieland music. san can enter 13 different art cate“We don’t typically have rap. We gories including baskets, clay, fiber don’t have yodeling. There are some Festivals, Page 5 things we don’t have, but we have a
Education ......................... 9 Community ............... 10-14
By SAMI HULINGS
STATE COLLEGE — The first court date has been set in the case involving former Penn State President Graham Spanier filed against Penn State in an attempt to force the university to turn over emails that are now a part of the Freeh investigation. An Argument on Preliminary Objections is scheduled for Aug. 17 at 10:30 a.m. in Courtroom 1 of the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, according to court documents. It is unknown whether GRAHAM SPANIER Spanier will be in court. On May 25, Spanier filed a suit against Penn State to force the university to turn over emails now part of the Freeh investigation. Some of the emails he is seeking could date as far back as 1996. Spanier said in the initial filing he wanted the opportunity to “refresh his memory” were he to be
Spanier, Page 6
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Lift For Life gains strength in cancer fight By CHRIS MORELLI editor@centrecountygazette.com
UNIVERSITY PARK — With dark clouds hovering over the Penn State football program, fans of the team have begun to look for silver linings. One of the first silver linings will take place on Friday afternoon. The Penn State chapter of Uplifting Athletes will hold its 10th annual Lift For Life beginning at 5 p.m. Friday at Penn State’s new lacrosse stadium.
Lift, Page 6
Gazette file photo
UPLIFTING: Former Penn State Nittany Lion linebacker Sean Lee pushes a tire at Lift For Life.
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