Penn State

I don't hide the fact I am a Notre Dame and Ohio State fan. Unfortunately there were activities going on and off the field in recent years that put us Buckeye fans in distress. Key players, such as Terrelle Pryor, were suspended, and Jim Tressel resigned as head coach. I know Jim Tressel and knew his father, Lee. A great family. Jim was a man that I always knew to be an up-front kinda person. Needless to say, I was stunned with the allegations from the tattoo-parlor scandal in which he lied and covered up the actions.

Taking down the statue of Joe Paterno was the right thing to do. This statement doesn't really need explanation. The statue of Paterno outside Beaver Stadium at Penn State University is only a symbol, but a very powerful one. While it once stood for integrity, success, loyalty and doing things the right way, it now stands for doing things the wrong way. The child abuse stain of Jerry Sandusky will never be removed. It will be like an oil leak on the concrete that can't be washed away with a hose no matter how hard you try. However, this is a step in the right direction.

As the NCAA imposed sanctions against Penn State, some area residents, including sports personnel, agreed the football powerhouse should have been penalized for the sexual abuse scandal that rocked the school, but they did not all agree on how severe that punishment should have been. “It's a terrible human tragedy that an adult would take advantage of young people,” Hagerstown Community College Athletic Director Bo Myers said Monday. “Penn State had about 1,000 opportunities to not let this continue, and the individuals involved chose not to do the right thing.” The sanctions stem from the case of former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted last month of sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years.

Hagerstown resident Jeff Mastin, 42, had strong opinions about what should happen to Penn State's football program as a result of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. “Get rid of the program,” he said. “Child safety is far more important than any football program.” NCAA sanctions for the program have been a topic of discussion as a result of the scandal and the alleged coverup. Mastin said the program should be completely shut down despite the fact that its players could be hurt by the move.

EAST LANSING, Mich. - A year ago, Michigan State coach John L. Smith was upset that disgruntled fans were suggesting Penn State legend Joe Paterno should step aside. Now Smith is the one facing fan criticism as Paterno's resurgent Nittany Lions head into Spartan Stadium for today's traditional Big Ten finale. After a 4-0 start raised fans' expectations, Michigan State (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) has lost five of its last six games. The Spartans need a win to become eligible for a bowl.

PASADENA, Calif. - Southern California made a strong case of its own to be No. 1. JoePa certainly recognized what a talented team the Trojans were - and that was before they beat up Penn State in the Rose Bowl. Mark Sanchez passed for 413 yards and four touchdowns, USC dominated on defense and the fifth-ranked Trojans defeated the No. 6 Nittany Lions 38-24 Thursday. Penn State coach Joe Paterno watched from the press box, where he's been for most of the season because of hip problems.

Why should players pay for crimes of others?   To the editor: With the sanctions against Penn State University, the NCAA punished those with no involvement in any crime, instead of the perpetrators of the child abuse and related cover-up. Listening to ESPN (TV and radio), other sports, news and commentary programs prior to the announcement of the sanctions, most of the individuals said either: 1. Historically, the NCAA has punished the wrong people. 2. This crime is not an infraction of NCAA rules and is outside the NCAA's area of involvement.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com MONT ALTO, Pa. - Economic impact on a community - nation, state, county or town - begins when an organization spends money, and the Pennsylvania State University spends a lot of it every year, a financial report drafted by a private consultant commissioned by the university said. Penn State's main campus in State College, Pa., and its 24 satellite campuses, including the one in Mont Alto, Pa., contributed more than $6.1 billion to the statewide economy last year, according to the report released Tuesday.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com MONT ALTO, Pa. - A historical marker depicting the 100th anniversary of Penn State University's Mont Alto campus was unveiled Tuesday near the bridge over the East Branch of Antietam Creek that leads into the campus. A crowd of nearly 100 gathered for the event. The school opened in 1903 as Pennsylvania's forestry school, the first in the state and the third in the country. That was the year the Wright Brothers first flew, Teddy Roosevelt opened the first national park and the first Harley-Davidson motorcycles were built, said David Gnage, CEO at Mont Alto.

As Nicole Glaze of Waynesboro, Pa., fiddled with her cap and gown before Saturday's spring commencement at Penn State Mont Alto, she remembered the obstacles she faced to achieve her dream. “I've worked really hard to get here. I got pregnant when I was 16,” said Glaze, now 20. So many teens give up on their dreams when that happens, she said. But she vowed to herself not to let anything stop her from an education. “To be able to graduate from college is a big thing for me,” she said.

Two people kicked in the door at a home near Penn State Mont Alto on Monday morning and stole $5,000 from a woman, Pennsylvania State Police said in a news release. One of the male suspects held a gun to the 24-year-old victim's head during the 8:30 a.m. robbery in the 7300 block of Slabtown Road, police said. The college campus issued a warning that individuals stay inside and lock their doors. That warning was later lifted, and classes were to be held as regularly scheduled, according to Penn State Mont Alto's website.

Penn State Mont Alto will change its nursing program from a two-year degree to a four-year degree beginning in the fall of 2014. “Hospitals are changing their employment pattern. They aren't hiring associate degree nurses like they had in the past. They are looking for the entry-level professional, which is the bachelor's degree,” said Carranda Barkdoll, Penn State Mont Alto's coordinator for nursing. As the health care delivery system increases in complexity, more education is needed to support the nurses who must navigate it, Barkdoll said.

The second annual "Blue and White" 5K will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13, on the campus of Penn State Mont Alto. At 8 a.m., children between the ages of 6 and 12 are invited to join the Penn State Nittany Lion for the "Little Lion" Run, a free one-mile trip across campus. Participants will have an opportunity to win prizes, which will be awarded in four categories, including men and women 30 years old and younger, and men and women 30 years old and younger. Each of the top three finishers in each category will receive a medal and a VISA gift card.

Penn State Extension's certified food and wellness volunteer training program is in its second year. The course offers 40 hours of training, using online training modules for much of the education and ending with a full day of training at Penn State University in State College, tentatively planned for Wednesday, May 29. The cost for the training program and certification is $125. Partial scholarships are available for those with financial need. Upon completing the program, volunteers must give back 40 hours of service to Penn State Extension Programs in nutrition and wellness.

Mayors, judges, borough council members, township supervisors and school board directors will be chosen in this year's election cycle in Pennsylvania. Individuals wanting to run for those offices need to circulate petitions and gather nominating signatures from Feb. 19 to March 12. They can learn more about the process at seminars hosted by the Penn State Extension. “What we really try to emphasize is that the people who govern local offices or a school district are just like you,” said Judy Chambers, Penn State Extension educator.

Annie's Project is a national Cooperative Extension workshop series designed to empower women who are farm owners or partners.  If you are a female farmer with a passion for business and involvement in your farm operation, this class is for you. Annie's Project will be offered this winter at Penn State Extension - Adams County in Gettysburg, Pa., on Tuesday nights from Jan. 15 to March 19.  The sessions focus on five areas of risk management...

Over the past few years, farmers and small business owners have come to realize that they need to systematically look “down the road” and strategize for success rather than simply take “each day as it comes,” by writing and using a business plan.  “Your Future in Focus” is an eight-evening Penn State Extension workshop series designed to teach farmers and food business owners the necessary steps of setting the goals and objectives for...

Captivated by tales his grandfather shared with him as a child, Bradley Tritsch of Williamsport, a junior at Penn State Law, said he has always enjoyed interaction with older adults. In middle school, he started playing with a community band that visited local nursing homes and performed for the residents. “I didn't want to just be working on the law. I feel it's important to connect with the people I'm serving and to hear their stories,” said Tritsch, a 2006 graduate of Williamsport High School.

For students at Penn State Mont Alto and residents in the surrounding area, Tuesday's sentencing of convicted child sexual abuser Jerry Sandusky brought reaction ranging from a sense of closure to a feeling that the sentence was not harsh enough. A judge ordered Sandusky to serve at least 30 years in prison Tuesday. “What he got is what he deserved, and the victims can sleep better knowing he can't hurt anyone anymore,” Waynesboro, Pa., resident Camie Biggs, 19, said. “The sentence is fair.” Despite what is effectively a life sentence for Sandusky, the 68-year-old former defensive coordinator for Penn State's football program, Matthew Gossert, 20, of Waynesboro felt the sentence was not long enough.