News for 2/8/13

Feed(s): 
Local News State College

NCAA Lawsuit

 The NCAA wants Penn State’s sanctions to stand without interruption. They are asking a federal judge to dismiss Governor Corbett’s lawsuit to overturn the sanctions levied against Penn State as a result of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

 The organization argues that the sanctions do not violate antitrust laws and Corbett lacks the standing to sue in the matter.

 Corbett sued the NCAA on January 2nd citing that the penalties were unfair to Penn State’s football team because they were penalized for a criminal matter. He also accused the organization of violating antitrust laws by hurting Penn State’s football standing and in turn damaging the local economy. 

Surma

The former vice chairman of the board of trustees who announced the firing of Joe Paterno will not seek re-election.

Penn State announced yesterday that John Surma has new and ongoing business obligations and has decided to end his tenure on the board when his term ends in June. Surma was a business and industry appointee to the board and is currently the CEO and chairman of U.S. Steel.

Kranich’s

 More details are emerging about the suspect wanted for questioning for his alleged role in the armed robbery of Kranich’s Jewelers last month.

 According to the Centre Daily Times, police arrested Philadelphia resident Rodger Kent Williams in Cary, NC and charged him for his alleged role in an armed robbery at J.M. Edwards Jewelers in Cary. Though the suspect hasn’t officially been charged in Centre County, State College police said they found physical evidence linking him to the Kranich’s armed robbery.

 Last month, three men entered the downtown state college jewelry store the morning of January 9 and took an undisclosed amount of jewelry as well as a ring, watch and wallet of one employee while one of the men held a gun to an employees head. 

Meningitis.

A West Chester University student who had meningitis while visiting Penn State has died. It is still not certain where he contracted the disease, but health officials say the student was hospitalized after his visit to campus last weekend. 

Penn State is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Health on the situation and is getting in touch with people who may have had contact with the student. 

Last month, three men entered the downtown state college jewelry store the morning of January 9 and took an undisclosed amount of jewelry as well as a ring, watch and wallet of one employee while one of the men held a gun to an employees head. 

First Energy Scam

 FirstEnergy Utilities are warning customers about a scam involving a telephone caller posing as an electric utility company employee threatening to shut off power unless an immediate payment is made using a pre-paid debit card such as a Green Dot Card, which is not officially sanctioned by FirstEnergy as a bill payment method.

 Ronald I Green, the vice president of customer service says that customers should know if they get a call from someone demanding payment of their bill by using a Green Dot card they are being scammed and should report the crime to local authorities. 

Last month, three men entered the downtown state college jewelry store the morning of January 9 and took an undisclosed amount of jewelry as well as a ring, watch and wallet of one employee while one of the men held a gun to an employees head. 

Lottery

Governor Corbett may like the idea of a private lottery, but a new Franklin and Marshall College Poll shows a lot of others disagree. The new poll shows that 64% of voters oppose the plans to turn over the management of the Pennsylvania Lottery to a private company. 

A contract with private sector Camelot Global Services is in place to manage the state lottery, but it must be approved by the attorney general before it can proceed. 

Penn State Peace Corps

 Penn State has been recognized among the nation’s top producers of Peace Corps volunteers. According to a release, the University ranks 21st on the Peace Corps 2013 rankings of colleges and universities in the large school category.Six other Big Ten universities placed in the top 25 in the rankings.