CENTRE COUNTY — As 2024 comes to an end, it’s time to take a look back at the top stories of 2024 with a year in review. Here are some of The Centre County Gazette’s biggest stories in 2024.
Historical marker dedicates Centre Furnace Mansion as ‘Birthplace of Penn State’
By DANIELLE BLAKE — Jan. 18, 2024
The Centre County Historical Society, community members and university leaders gathered on Thursday, Jan. 11, to unveil a new historical marker at the Centre Furnace Mansion in State College.
The historical marker commemorated the Centre Furnace Mansion as the “Birthplace of Penn State” and was the latest addition to the 68 campus historical markers sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association.
Centre Furnace Mansion played a major role in Centre County being selected back in 1855 as the location for the newly chartered Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania, which now is known as Pennsylvania State University.
Local distiller appears on ‘Moonshiners: Master Distiller’
By OLIVIA ESTRIGHT — Feb. 14, 2024
In 2022, Erica Unruh became Centre County’s first female head distiller at Barrel 21. Since then, she became the first Centre County distiller to make an appearance on national television.
Unruh appeared on Season 4, Episode 21 of the Discovery Channel’s “Moonshiners: Master Distiller.” Each episode tasks competitors with making a different spirit to compete for the title of master distiller. Unruh and the two other competitors were tasked with making spiced rum.
The Centre County distiller opted to use a recipe she’s familiar with — the one used by Barrel 21.
Centre Film Fest winners shine at Oscars
By PAT ROTHDEUTSCH — March 7, 2024
The 96th Academy Awards was presented in Hollywood Sunday, March 10, and, as usual, there was tremendous interest in which films, actors, actresses and directors would come away with the major statues at this year’s ceremony.
With a stellar lineup of artistic talent and creations, it was interesting to observe that the 2023 Centre Film Festival made presentations to an actress and a short film that are among the nominees for Oscars this year.
One of the films from the festival that is directly related to this year’s Oscars is “Fancy Dance,” directed by Erica Tremblay and starring Lily Gladstone.
Gladstone was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her stunning performance in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” but she was just as proud of her work in this picture.
The other film with Oscar connections was one produced and directed by Tal Kantor called “Letter to a Pig.” “Letter to a Pig” is a 17-minute animated short film about a class of students with a guest speaker who is a Holocaust survivor.
The film was nominated for an Oscar in the Animated Short Film category, along with “Ninety-Five Senses,” “Our Uniform,” “Pachyderme” and “War is Over.”
Penn State chasing history at 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships
By ANDY ELDER — March 21, 2024
The Penn State wrestling team got the chance to make history Thursday, March 21, through Saturday, March 23, at the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
Penn State qualified all 10 wrestlers — four seeded first and two more seeded second — for NCAA championships while blitzing the field at the Big Ten tournament, crowning five champions and placing nine wrestlers in the top three of their respective weights.
Aston Barrett Jr. carries on father’s legacy in iconic Bob Marley band
By JESSI BLANARIK — March 28, 2024
Don’t worry about a thing Centre County. Every little thing is gonna be all right.
The reggae band The Wailers, with special guest star Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root Uprooted Trio, performed this summer at the Tussey Mountain Amphitheatre.
The Wailers performed at “A Bob Marley Celebration” presented by Rich Engler on Sunday, June 23. The concert kicked off the new Happy Valley Music Series at Tussey Mountain, presented in part by The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau.
TV host of ‘My Classic Car’ to attend Historic Bellefonte Cruise
By JESSI BLANARIK — May 23, 2024
The Historic Bellefonte Cruise returned for its 35th year on Friday, June 14, and Saturday, June 15. This year, one famous face was mixed among the car show visitors. If his handlebar mustache wasn’t enough of a clue to who he is, his television show, “My Classic Car with Dennis Gage,” sure was.
The series, which features car shows, hobbyist personal collections and unique cars across the country and around the world, debuted on TNN in 1997 after a successful pilot was shown in 1996. The show later moved to the SPEED channel in 2000 and became one of the highest rated shows on the network. Since then, Gage has shown his viewers collectible cars over 28 seasons and brought his love of classic cars to Centre County at the Bellefonte Cruise.
Palmer Museum of Art celebrates grand opening in new building
By DANIELLE BLAKE — June 6, 2024
After years of planning and construction, Penn State’s Palmer Museum of Art opened its doors to the public at its new location on Saturday, June 1.
According to the museum’s mission statement, the Palmer serves the university’s overall land-grant mission of teaching, which is noticeable throughout the collections on display.
The Palmer prides itself as the largest art museum between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with 10,750 pieces in its still-expanding collection. The opening weekend at the Palmer Museum celebrated its growth as the museum looks to what it can offer the community in years to come.
2024 Olympic Games riddled with Nittany Lions
By JOE TUMAN — July 11, 2024
On Friday, July 26, years of hard work and dedication came to fruition for several current and former Nittany Lions.
The 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris saw multiple Penn State athletes and alumni representing eight countries while going for gold.
The blue and white alumni were scattered across many different sports, but there are some competitors whose names especially jump off the page such as Aaron Brooks, Alyssa Naeher, Sam Coffey, Stephen Nedoroscik and more.
HVAB announces the state of tourism in Centre County
By JESSI BLANARIK — July 11, 2024
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau announced during its annual State of Tourism Breakfast on Tuesday, July 9, the economic impact of tourism within Centre County.
During the event, the results of the 2023 Centre County Visitor Volume study, conducted by Longwoods International, were revealed.
According to the study, 5 million trips to Centre County occurred in 2023, a new record and 3.1% increase from the year prior.
New community college opens doors in Bellefonte
By DANIELLE BLAKE — Aug. 15, 2024
A new post-secondary education opportunity came to Centre County this year as Penn Highlands Community College welcomed the public during a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house on Friday, Aug. 16, at the historic Match Factory, located at 190 Match Factory Place in Bellefonte.
Housed on the second floor of the Match Factory and spanning 5,200 square feet, this became the community college’s seventh location in Central and Western Pennsylvania.
Ironman 2024 makes $3.2 million economic impact: What’s next?
By COLLIN WARD — Sept. 26, 2024
Ironman is set to return to Happy Valley in the summer of 2025 after another successful race in June.
The event will kick off Sunday, June 15, the same day as Father’s Day. This is a slight change from the year prior when it was held Sunday, June 30.
The race will be the third time Ironman has appeared in Happy Valley and marks the end of a three-year contract. With both the 2023 and 2024 races being a success, though, a new contract could be put into place following the race.
In 2024 the estimated economic impact on the local community was $3.2 million.
Trump hosts rally at Bryce Jordan Center
By GAZETTE STAFF — Oct. 31, 2024
The 45th and now 47th president of the United States made his way to Centre County for a campaign rally on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Bryce Jordan Center. Donald J. Trump, arrived on Saturday, Oct. 27, to the Penn State University venue, speaking to a crowd of thousands on how he would improve the economy, why people should vote for him instead of his opposition at the time Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, immigration, transgender women in sports, fracking and more.
Though the event brought in thousands of fans donning MAGA gear and signs in support of the former president, Penn State student groups, the People’s Defense Front and the Student Committee for Defense and Solidarity, organized a protest against the former president’s appearance at the BJC.
Prior to the rally and protest, a Centre County resident was arrested for making threats against the president on Friday, Oct. 25.
Late goal gives Red Raiders their first District 6 title since 2018
By TODD IRWIN — Nov. 7, 2024
The Bellefonte boys soccer team appeared to be heading into overtime in its District 6 Class 3A championship game against Hollidaysburg on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at Bald Eagle Area’s Alumni Stadium.
But with 39 seconds left in the game and the scored tied, 2-2, Bellefonte’s Conelle Stabinger booted a ball from 40 yards out. The ball sailed over Hollidaysburg goalkeeper Liam Jancula and into the net.
That goal set off an emotional celebration among the players and fans and ultimately gave the Red Raiders a 3-2 victory and their first District 6 title since 2018.
‘State of LGBTQ+ Pennsylvania’ town hall panel held in State College
By JESSI BLANARIK — Nov. 21, 2024
One of nine town halls across the state of Pennsylvania was held at the State College Municipal Building on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Co-hosted by the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, the Human Rights Campaign, American Civil Liberties Union Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Equality Project and Centre LGBT+, the “State of LGBTQ+ Pennsylvania” town hall aimed to lead a discussion on the state of LGBTQ+ rights, public policy and existing protection for the LGBTQ+ community in Pennsylvania.
Over 50 members of the community attended the event, including local officials like State College Mayor Ezra Nanes and State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township.
Recent church fires in Patton Township intentional, ATF says
By DANIELLE BLAKE — Nov. 27, 2024
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms’ Pittsburgh Field Office, which is investigating fires at two Centre County churches, said on Friday, Nov. 22, the fires were set intentionally.
The Centre County Report first reported the statement that the ATF is working with Patton Township police “to solve and prevent a series of intentional fires at United Methodist churches.”
Shawn Kauffman, the Centre Region fire director, told The Centre County Gazette’s news partner, StateCollege.com, back in October that both of the fires were being investigated as potentially intentional.
Court Documents offer new information on charges against Penns Valley secretary accused of stealing $533K
By GEOFF RUSHTON — Dec. 5, 2024
State police say the former secretary/treasurer of a Penns Valley township accused of stealing nearly $533,000 used a municipal credit card for personal expenses for more than five years and gave fraudulent budget reports to cover her tracks, according to court documents.
A criminal complaint detailed how Pamela D. Hackenburg, 55, of Union County, allegedly pilfered Gregg Township funds and used her total control of the township’s financial accounts to hide the spending, which included up to $20,000 a month for an online sportsbook.
Hackenburg, who worked as the township’s secretary/treasurer from January 2019 until she was suspended without pay in May 2024, was on four felony theft charges.
State College High School boys cross country to race in Nike Cross Nationals
By COLLIN WARD — Dec. 5, 2024
After winning the PIAA state championship for the first time since 1986, the boys State College Area High School cross country team competed at the Nike Cross Regional championships.
The team had seven runners competing in the race at Wappingers Falls, New York, four of which finished in the top 30.
Theo Oppermann finished first for the Little Lions with a time of 16:06.7. The sophomore finished eighth in the race and was shortly followed by his brother Isaac Oppermann who finished in 11th with a time of 6:12.7.
