THE CENTRE COUNTY
GAZETTE www.StateCollege.com
Giving the gift of life Help the American Red Cross meet its ongoing need by donating blood during an upcoming drive./Page 24
March 22-28, 2012
Volume 4, Issue 12
FREE COPY
Police search for serial rapist By CHRIS MORELLI editor@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — State College Borough police are on the hunt for a serial rapist. DNA evidence has linked three sexual assaults to the same man, police said this week, and investigators have released a profile of the suspect in hopes the
public can help find him. In the most recent case, which occurred on April 3, 2011, a college-age female was attacked by a man she didn’t know between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m. near West Fairmount Avenue and South Burrowes Street, police said. On Jan. 28, 2011, between 1:30 and 2:30 a.m., another woman of college age was raped near Fra-
ternity Row and East Prospect Avenue, according to reports. And on Aug. 22, 2010, a college-age female was walking alone in the area of East Prospect Avenue and Locust Lane when she was raped between 2 and 4 a.m., police said. “The females he targeted were very similar … white, college-age and very intoxicated,” said Police
Chief Tom King. All three of the victims were walking alone when they were attacked. King said the suspect used sexual and physical violence in every incident. Two of the attacks occurred outside; one of the victims was taken to the backseat of a parked vehicle, King said. “We now have the DNA evi-
dence which links all three cases. That certainly helps in the investigation,” he said. According to King, investigators do not have a good physical description of the man because the victims were intoxicated and it was dark outside. All three victims, however, said the man ap-
Rapist, Page 6
Sue Paterno aids CVIM marathoners By CHRIS MORELLI editor@centrecountygazette.com
TAMI KNOPSNYDER/Special to the Gazette
NATIONAL CHAMPS: Penn State celebrates its victory on Saturday in St. Louis. The Nittany Lions ran away with the team title to win its second national title under coach Cael Sanderson.
Back-to-back: PSU captures another national wrestling title By ERIC KNOPSNYDER Special to The Gazette
ST. LOUIS – The Gateway to the west might just end up being the second stop on the road to a wrestling dynasty. Penn State captured its second consecutive team title at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on Saturday, and this time it wasn't even close. Last year, in Cael Sanderson's second season,
the Nittany Lions delighted a highly partisan crowd in Philadelphia by winning the school's first team title since 1953. A year later, Penn State made sure that the finals had little drama for the thousands of Iowa and Minnesota fans at the Scottrade Center, as the team title was clinched well before the championship round began.
Wrestling, Page 6
By SAM STITZER pennsvalley@centrecountygazette.com
Penns Valley EMS pays off facility Police Log .............................3 Opinion.................................7
Education ..........................8,9 Lifestyles .......................10-15
SPRING MILLS — Penns Valley Emergency Medical Service Inc. is a private, non-profit organization providing emergency medical care in eastern Centre County. Their basic life support ambulances are staffed by both paid and
Centre Spread...............16, 17 Sports.............................19-22
UNIVERSITY PARK — Sue Paterno has always been there to lend a hand to those in Centre County. On March 15, she addressed the media for the first time since the death of her husband, Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno, who died on Jan. 22 following a short battle with lung cancer. The widow was attending an event for Centre Volunteers in Medicine, which provides free health care for people without insurance. CVIM is dedicating a key annual fundraising event to the late coach. “To be honest, they didn't tell me that,” she said. “But it means a lot to me because he really is still here. It's not real yet, and we're doing what he would want us to do. You have to know how proud he was of everything that people in this town did — on a volunteer basis — to help others.” Paterno declined comment when asked how she and her family were coping with the death. She became emotional when talking about the event.
volunteer emergency medical technicians. They are the primary ambulance provider for Centre Hall, Millheim, Potter Township, Gregg Township, Penn Township, Haines Township and Miles Townships. Penns Valley EMS has a coverage area of approximately 254 square miles populated by over 5,300 households and over 11,000 residents. Their head-
Save the Date......................23 Arts & Entertainment .. 23-27
CHRIS MORELLI/The Gazette
ALL TOGETHER: Coach Greg Fredericks, left, Sue Paterno and Coash Russ Rose join forces to support the runners involved in Centre Volunteers in Medicine. “We're a very blessed community,” she said, her eyes welling with tears. The news conference, held at Penn State's Multisport Facility, was promoting CVIM's “Marathoners For Medicine.” Runners from the area will participate in marathons throughout the nation and ask people to con-
CVIM, Page 6
quarters are located at 106 Ross Hill Road, Spring Mills, PA. Ground was broken for this facility in early August of 2006, on a 3.89 acre tract of land that was purchased from Hanover Foods in 2003. A fundraising campaign in May 2006 raised the $1.2 million needed to
Facility, Page 4
Deed Transfers .................. 24 What’s Happening .............26
Business ........................28, 29 Classifieds...........................30
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