Columns
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Springtime Becomes Hockey Time in Happy Valley
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When most Penn Staters think of springtime sports it typically doesn’t include men’s and women’s ice hockey. March Madness? Check. March Matness? Check. Frozen Fours? Uncharted territory. Until 2025! When Matt DiMarsico scored the winning overtime goal against UConn in the NCAA Regional Championship game, I spontaneously leaped to my feet, hugged my wife and…
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The Value of Life for Adults and Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
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The horrific statements made by Robert Kennedy Jr., United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, that children with autism will “never pay taxes, hold a job or go on a date” create a narrative that assumes their life is of lesser value. These statements are to create shame for those whose minds and bodies…
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‘Abandoning Our Soul Should Not Be an Option.’ Closing Campuses Isn’t the Only Answer to Meeting Penn State’s Challenges
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In recent days, the fate of Penn State’s Commonwealth Campus system has come to the fore. There is genuine concern regarding the future of these campuses, and it has sparked a period of uncertainty and trepidation. It is undeniable that Commonwealth Campus enrollment has declined over the last 10 to 15 years. Some of the…
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New Running Back Coach Drayton: Penn State Has That National Championship ‘Feel’
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I was talking national championships with Penn State’s new running back coach Stan Drayton on Tuesday evening, after the Nittany Lions’ practice in a small media scrum of four or five reporters in Holuba Hall. Drayton knows No. 1s. And when it comes to national titles, Drayton knows whereof he speaks. As a running back…
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The ICE Man Cometh to Penn State
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Jack is an international student at Penn State. I’m not going to tell you his real name, where he’s from or what he’s studying because I don’t want to reveal anything that might make his situation more precarious than it already is. Last week, Jack received an eviction notice from the landlord of us all,…
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Hook: Why Tax Day Is My Least Favorite Day of the Year
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Today is my least favorite day of the year. It’s April 15 – Tax Day. Today is the day when federal individual income tax returns for calendar year filers are due. What that means in plain English is that most of us have a deadline tonight. According to the IRS, our income tax returns are…
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Penn State’s Championship and Final Four Coaches: What Makes Them Great
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Penn State’s highest-profile teams — sans basketball — are on a big-time run of success. In the span of 109 days: National championships for wrestling (again) and for women’s volleyball, with the rus(s)t now wiped off after a decade dry spell punctuated by the departure of legend Russ Rose. And final four appearances for football, in the…
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Open Bigotry on Display Today a Product of Weak-Minded People Given Permission to Act on Hatred
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Monday night on X (formerly Twitter) a guy posted a video showing a packed cruise ship pool deck filled with an overwhelmingly Black crowd dancing and having a good time. His caption/question was “Name something you’d rather do than take a vacation on this cruise ship.” Now maybe his question was about the fact that…
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10 Reasons Why Nick Singleton Came Back for a Final Season of Penn State Football
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Just like that. One, then quickly the other. Both Penn State backs were coming back. They did so on Jan. 13 — only four days after the Nittany Lions lost to Notre Dame, 27-24, in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Orange Bowl. That’s the day running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen independently posted…
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I Am a Magnolia Man
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I am a Magnolia Man. Yes, I am, now. Say what? Well, if you are a fan of Joanna and Chip Gaines’ popular HGTV hit show, “Fixer Upper,” which spawned the Magnolia Channel, then you might know what I’m talking about. I know my vast following was expecting me to write about the Penn State…