Stories / News, Events and Issues from Central Pennsylvania

In 2011, Chuck Felton organized a reunion for the Cresson TB Sanatorium. The retired aerospace engineer now living in Texas, spent 16 months at the state-run tuberculosis facility that was located on a remote mountain top outside of Cresson. For more than 50 years, Felton kept his experience there mostly to himself. Then, in 2009, he…

A long, cold winter – like the one that is mercifully coming to a close – can be more than just an emotional drain. It can be a drain on home finances and the environment. As her home-heating bills piled up, WPSU’s Emily Reddy went in search of solutions for her energy woes. She found a…

A number of privatization initiatives have been proposed in Pennsylvania in recent years. A combination of state and local budget crises has prompted these so-called public-private partnerships that seek to transfer ownership of public assets or services to the private sector in exchange for lump sums of money. Everything from the state lottery to liquor sales…

Since the Newtown tragedy in December, the issue of school violence has been a focus of national attention. Penn State’s World Campus and Social Science Research Institute partnered with area school districts this past Monday night to sponsor a panel discussion on the issue. The program was held in the lobby of the Outreach building at…

The State College Borough Council unanimously passed a resolution to oppose the Penn State pipeline during last night’s council meeting, which lasted over four and a half hours. The council agreed to advise the Borough Manager to deny a construction permit for the pipeline as part of the resolution. WPSU's Kate Lao Shaffner reports.

Penn State University Park plans to convert its on-campus power plant from coal to natural gas. The move is part of an effort to meet new US Environmental Protection Agency air pollution standards. But there’s been a community backlash. A high-pressure gas pipeline required for the conversion is slated to run right through the Highlands neighborhood…

The Centre Crest nursing home in Bellefonte is currently run by Centre County. But because of financial concerns, the County Commissioners are considering making Centre Crest a nonprofit, outside of County control. At a public meeting Wednesday evening, March 27th in Bellefonte, the Commissioners will talk with citizens about the proposed change. As WPSU’s Kristine Allen…

Over 100 people – some dressed in green – attended the “Green Forum” in State College Sunday afternoon to hear three experts talk about climate change. Of them was a Pulitzer-prize winning scientist Dr. Richard Alley. WPSU intern Cynthia Hill reports.