Free Republic

The largest student-run philanthropy in the world kicks off at Penn State this weekend, as more than 15,000 students will culminate a yearlong fundraising effort with a 46-hour dance marathon called Thon. The event – which benefits The Four Diamonds Fund at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center -- draws in thousands of spectators and more than 300 families affected by pediatric cancer each year. This year’s event at the Bryce Jordan Center kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday evening and will end at 4 p.m. Sunday. If you’re planning on making the trip to State College this...

The Lunar Lion team has already secured a launch space via Team Phoenicia, which will be sending multiple payloads to space in one launch. That launch system greatly reduces the cost of the team’s launch. “We’re the only [Lunar X-Prize] team that’s paid for a launch,” Penn State’s research Director of Development Steve Blake. The Lunar Lion team plans to launch in December of 2015. They’re currently planning on landing about 30 kilometers north of the Apollo 11 landing site at the Sea of Tranquility.

By now, you’ve probably read Patriot News columnist David Jones’ rabble-rousing piece outlining some of the reasons behind Bill O’Brien’s departure — specifically quoting O’Brien during profanity laced tirade against so-called “Paterno people” that supposedly drove him right out of Happy Valley. If you haven’t, you should. I couldn’t help but feel compelled the first time I read the story Tuesday night. On the surface, it has significant shock value and information you won’t find anywhere else. But then I read it again. And again. And now, three days later, I find myself reading it for the dozenth time and...

Senior right guard John Urschel’s academic and athletic pursuits are well known in State College and beyond. The mathematics major who is working on a second master’s degree and who holds a perfect 4.0 grade point average added to his academic and athletic accolades Tuesday evening. Urschel was honored in New York City at the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame's annual black-tie event where he was named the winner of the William V. Campbell Trophy. The two-time All-Big Ten first team honoree was one of 16 finalists for the award, widely regarded as the Academic Heisman, and...

Long, brutal radio interview between Slaten/Ziegler. Calls out the fools that believe the narrative. The evidence IS overwhelming. And it's on real Penn Stater's and Joe's side. Hate on haters. You believe, and support media lies.

Penn State has announced that it is paying $59.7 million to 26 young men to settle claims of child sexual abuse at the hands of former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. The university said it had concluded negotiations that have lasted about a year. The school said 23 deals are fully signed and three are agreements in principle. The school faces six other claims, and the university says it believes some do not have merit while others may produce settlements.

UNIVERSITY PARK — The new building was beautiful, loud and packed to the rafters. And nearly all of those fans left with smiles on their faces. Aside from a few too many penalties, it was hard to ask for anything more of the Penn State ice hockey team in their new home, erupting for three third-period goals to put away Army 4-1 Friday night in the first game in Pegula Ice Arena. “When there’s a packed barn like that, and those fans are yelling,” said defenseman Nate Jensen, who scored the first goal in the new rink, “you get jitters,...

By Eric Shultz | Collegian Staff Writer A key figure surrounding the departure of Emmanuil Kaidanov as Penn State fencing’s head coach came forward Wednesday afternoon with her side of the story — a misunderstanding involving medical tape mistaken for drugs.Junior Kane Gladnick speaks at the press conference in support of former Penn State Fencing Coach Emmanuil Kaidanov at the Ramada Inn on Wednesday, Sept 18, 2013. Surrounded by nine other Penn State fencers during a press conference at State College’s Ramada Inn, junior fencer Kane Gladnick described an incident she said ultimately led to Kaidanov’s firing after he followed...

CHAPTER TEN: CONCLUSIONS One year after the release of the Freeh Report, this is what seems to be reality of the aftermath of the Sandusky scandal and its impact on the State College community: Joe Paterno’s reputation and legacy have been completely destroyed, the Penn State football program has been crippled, and the university’s reputation has been badly besmirched. Many lives have been greatly damaged, money has been lost, friendships have been severed, and wonderful memories have been painfully erased. The public battle to tell the real truth of what happened here has been badly lost and, thanks to the...

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - A judge on Monday will start hearing evidence against three former Penn State officials accused of covering up an early report that coach Jerry Sandusky sexually abused a child, allowing him to molest boys for years........... The three university officials are Graham Spanier, 65, who was fired as president amid the scandal that rocked the high-stakes world of college football; Athletic Director Tim Curley, 59, who was placed on administrative leave, and retired Senior Vice President Gary Schultz, 63. At the hearing in Dauphin County Court, both sides will argue their case stemming from a November...

Lehigh Valley Congressman Charlie Dent said Penn State's culture is not to blame for Jerry Sandusky's decades of child sexual abuse, according to a review of the university's internal investigation by Joe Paterno's family. Dent, in a telephone interview Friday, said he had read summaries of the review commissioned by the late head football coach's family. The review is set to be published Sunday morning. "To blame the culture of Penn State for Sandusky's crimes is a horrible mistake," Dent said Friday, characterizing the findings of one of the experts commissioned by the Paterno family. "To blame the culture of...

It is one of the biggest mysteries of the Penn State scandal: how has former university president Graham Spanier escaped criminal indictment in connection with the Jerry Sandusky sexual-abuse case? Two other former top school officials—ex-VP Gary Schultz and onetime athletic director Tim Curley—are facing trial on charges of failure to report suspected child abuse and lying to a grand jury. All three were singled out for scathing criticism in the Freeh report, the definitive investigation into the university’s handling of the Sandusky scandal, for their “concealment” of the football coach’s sordid conduct and for their “striking lack of empathy...

I just finished the book, “Paterno” by Joe Posnanski. I was fortunate enough to have the back cover photograph. My Friend Joe Hermitt had the front. Between the two of us we probably photographed JoePa more than anyone. I read over half the book on a bench in Sunset Park, not more than 100 yards from the Paterno home. Why? I am not sure why. I wanted a quiet place to read and reflect on this man that I knew all these years. This seemed like the right place. I spent many cold hours in front of his house...

Jerry Sandusky is the focus of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service, which is looking into whether he sent child pornography across state lines, a national news outlet is reporting today. Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2012/08/10/3295414/jerry-sandusky-reportedly-focus.html#storylink=cpy

Penn State adds names, ribbon to football jerseysThe Associated Press – 1 hour 28 minutes ago STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Players' names are being added to Penn State's football jerseys for the coming season, the university announced Tuesday, along with blue ribbons to show support for victims of child abuse. The team's generic look - blue-and-white, no names on jerseys - has long been a trademark and was associated with the buttoned-down style of former coach Joe Paterno, who was fired last year after his former assistant Jerry Sandusky was arrested on child molestation charges. School officials said adding...

A Penn State board of trustee member filed an appeal Monday afternoon with the NCAA over sanctions levied against the university after the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal. Three other trustees joined the appeal, which states that the consent decree university president Rodney Erickson signed with the NCAA agreeing to the sanctions is "null and void" because Erickson "lacked the legal authority" to enter into such an agreement without the board's approval. Trustees and a person with first-hand knowledge of the discussions said the move is a precursor to a federal lawsuit asking a judge to invalidate the sanctions, because...

Paterno family intends to appeal NCAA sanctionsBy GENARO C. ARMAS (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 18 hours ago STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Joe Paterno's family said it planned to appeal the sanctions imposed by the NCAA against Penn State for the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. The governing body's response: Don't bother. Family lawyer Wick Sollers in a letter sent Friday to the NCAA said the Paternos would like to appeal the ''enormous damage'' done to Penn State, the community, athletes and the late Hall of Fame coach. He died in January at age 85....

In yet another shocking development in the Penn State story, ousted president Graham Spanier will soon begin working with the federal government on projects related to national security, The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pa., first reported. In an email written to the paper, Spanier said: “For the next several months, as I transition to my post-presidential plans, I will be working on a special project for the U.S. government relating (to) national security.

The man who was seen being sexually assaulted in the Penn State showers by Jerry Sandusky in 2001 has come forward and identified himself to attorneys, who say that he plans to sue the university. A man claiming to be Victim 2, whom assistant coach Mike McQueary saw being molested in the shower by Sandusky, is being represented by four attorneys, including Joel Feller and Matt Casey of Philadelphia and Justine Andronici and Andrew Shubin of State College, according to a statement released by the attorneys today. The man's name is not being released to the public, but his attorneys...

Don't think there is a story yet, but here is the sanctions: 60 Million Fine Loss of ten schollies per year with current schollies able to transfer immediately 4 year post season ban