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Help us reach $12K during Centre Gives

Plus: Penn State administrator accuses graduating seniors of spreading misinformation

This is Talk of the Town, a free weekly newsletter delivering top news from State College and the surrounding region.
May 11, 2023
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Inside this edition: Support Spotlight PA by donating to our Centre Gives campaign, Penn State administrator accuses graduating seniors of spreading misinformation, and candidates running for key Pa. election posts wrongly believe 2020 presidential race was stolen.
POWERING VITAL JOURNALISM
Will you help us reach $12K during Centre Gives? Contribute now!

Over the past year, Spotlight PA State College has established itself as a vital community resource
by holding Penn State leadership accountable, revealing what happens in small-town governments when no one is watching, and fighting for access to information.

As a Centre County native, I’m proud to lead this bureau of journalists working tirelessly in pursuit of the truth. And today, you can help us continue this critical work.

We’ve been given the tremendous opportunity to participate in Centre Gives, a 36-hour online fundraiser happening right now, to further our public-service mission. This tremendous event, a project of Centre Foundation, elevates and supports more than 200 worthy nonprofits doing important work in Centre County.

Donate to Spotlight PA’s Centre Gives campaign at centregives.org/organizations/273-spotlight-pa. If you have already given to our campaign, I’m so grateful.

Your support makes our impactful journalism possible, driving accountability, transparency, and positive change. 

Investigative and public-service journalism isn’t easy to produce. It takes a lot of time, a lot of determination, and a lot of guts. But it’s worth it because we’re making a positive difference in our community. We’re not just reporting the news. We’re fighting for the truth.

We do this work because we are invested in this community. But we need your support to dig deeper and push back against those who would try to deter our efforts. 

So this Centre Gives, donate to Spotlight PA to support the continued growth of vital local news in Centre County. Make your donation by 8 p.m. TONIGHT.

—Sarah Rafacz, State College Editor
NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
“When I read Hamer’s email, I read it as another instance in a pattern of behavior among Penn State administrators cultivating a culture of fear, where everyone is a member of Happy Valley unless you speak out against the administration.”

—Jake Otto, one of the students accused by Penn State administrator Jennifer Hamer of spreading misinformation
đź“ť FROM SPOTLIGHT PA
» Penn State president’s special adviser accuses students of spreading misinformation

» Federal money won’t be enough to solve Pa.’s abandoned oil and gas well problem, advocates say


» Three ways Shapiro’s budget would change public health in Pennsylvania

» Candidates running for key Pa. election posts wrongly believe 2020 presidential race was stolen

» POLICING VS TREATMENT: Join us Thursday, May 25 at 6 pm ET for a free panel on how Pa. wants to spend a $1B opioid settlement, the policing versus treatment debate, and how Pennsylvania's spending plans compare to other states'. Register here and submit questions to events@spotlightpa.org.  
 
VISIT THE PENN STATE TRANSPARENCY TRACKER
đź—ł ELECTION CENTER
Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PA
» A complete guide to the May 16 primary
» How to vote, where to vote, and everything you need to know for May 16
» How Spotlight PA will cover Pa.’s 2023 primary election
» A guide to requesting, filling out, and returning your mail ballot
» A guide to vetting candidates
» A guide to Commonwealth, Superior Court candidates
» A guide to the Pa. Supreme Court candidates
» At least one big hurdle remains to open primaries in Pa.

» Court decision does little to clear up ballot curing confusion
» How unequal policies disenfranchised Pa. voters in 2022
» Supreme Court candidates with party backing show fundraising advantage

» Register to vote in the May 16 primary here; deadline May 1
» Request your mail ballot for the May 16 primary here; deadline May 9


En Español: 

» Guía completa para el día de las elecciones primarias de Pa. 2023
» Guía completa de los candidatos a la Corte Suprema del Estado
» Guía completa de los candidatos a la Corte de la Commonwealth y Cortes Superiores
» Guía básica para investigar a los candidatos
» Todo lo que necesita saber para solicitar, llenar y devolver su papeleta de voto por correo
đź“· LOCAL GEM
Stone Valley Recreation Area in Huntingdon County, via Amy Z.

Want to be featured here? Send your best local pics to talkofthetown@spotlightpa.org.
đź“° IN OTHER NEWS
» Courier Express: DuBois solicitor delivers $100K from United Way to city
» CDT: Retiring soccer star Ali Krieger elected as PSU trustee
» Mirror: Judge endorsement raises eyebrows

» SC: PSU trustees approve first stage of Beaver Stadium renovation
» CDT: Message asks students to join Ku Klux Klan at Penns Valley school
đź“… EVENTS
Want us to list your event? Send it to us.

» May 12: The Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau hosts a “Backyard Tour.”

» May 12-14: Axe throwing, woodcarving, and a cornhole tournament are among the highlights of the Potter County Outdoor Show.

» May 13: Celebrate the 175th anniversary of Falls Creek at the Spring Walk, hosted by the DuBois Area Historical Society.

» May 13: Jana Marie Foundation marks Mental Health Awareness Month with live music and creative activities at J.A.M. Fest in downtown State College.

» May 13-16: Browse thousands of titles, of various genres, at the AAUW State College Used Book Sale.
Join us at Centre Gives Fest TONIGHT at Talleyrand Park in Bellefonte. Stop by our booth to test your local news knowledge with our Great Centre County News Quiz.

The first 15 people to score 7/10 or higher will get a free Spotlight PA tote bag! Everyone who takes the quiz will receive a Spotlight PA State College sticker, while supplies last!
🧩 THE PUZZLER
An anagram is a word, phrase, or name formed by rearranging the letters of another. For example, “spotlight” also forms “stoplight.”

Decode the anagram and send your answer to talkofthetown@spotlightpa.org. We’ll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA State College swag.

 
T E D I O U S
 
Good luck!

Last week’s answer: Grin

Congrats to Melvin F
., who will receive Spotlight PA State College swag. Others who answered correctly: Tish M., Samantha S., Amy Z., Don H., Linda A., Canary, Donna D., Martina M., Thomas S., and Leann T.
Do you have events, community shoutouts, questions about our region, or tips on stories that we should pursue? Email our team.
 
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SUPPORT SPOTLIGHT PA
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and WITF Public Media.

Copyright © Spotlight PA / The Philadelphia Inquirer, All rights reserved.

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Harrisburg, PA 17108-1728

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