Columns
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Another Trip Down Memory Lane
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Ah, the memories. They’ve had a little more meaning for my wife and me lately. With each passing week the reality is setting in that in just a few months State College will no longer be our primary place of residency. We have called Happy Valley our home for the last 35 years and moving…
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The Week That Was (and Could Be) Are Big for Penn State Athletics
in Columns, Local & Penn State Sports, Local News, Penn State, Penn State Football, Penn State Sports, Penn State Wrestling—
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It was a big week for Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics. As if anyone noticed. And an even bigger one may be on the horizon. Last Monday, the website AthleticDirectorU.com published a ranking of Big Ten Conference athletic departments as part of its Athletic Department Power Index series. Penn State was ranked No. 4 among the…
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Are You Benchmarking Your Portfolio Appropriately?
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Although investing can seem pretty complicated, the success of your portfolio strategy should really be judged by a simple question: What do you want your financial plan to accomplish? For most of us, the answer will begin with foundational goals such as capital preservation and a secure retirement with enough money coming in to take…
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The Composition of Penn State’s Board of Trustees Needs to Change
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A little over a week ago, my annual email from the Penn State Board of Trustees appeared in my inbox, requesting that I cast my ballot for alumni-elected members to the board. It was an email that I had expected because a week or two before that trustee campaign signs started popping up on the…
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Adding Up the (Low) Numbers on Penn State’s Offensive Line
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At the 2014 Blue-White Game, Penn State was facing a shortage of offensive linemen. So, the O-linemen wore gray jerseys and played for both offenses. Two former defensive linemen on the PSU roster that day – Derek Dowrey and Brian Gaia – had moved to offense earlier in the spring. To stay. For good. And…
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Discovery Space Offers Undiscovered Opportunities to Benefit All Ages
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Having seen the kid-friendly logo of “Discovery Space” on the building’s stone façade, I assumed I knew what was happening on the inside of 1224 N. Atherton St. What else could it be but a place where children enjoy hands-on learning? Well, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Fortunately, Alvin de Levie, a good…
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Parents: Let the Coaches Coach
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While talking to an athletic director of a Power 5 NCAA school recently, the subject of players transferring and today’s student-athletes came up. When the conversation turned to what those pressures put on coaches, he became animated. “You know, Jay,” he said, “every time a parent wants to meet about a coach they always start…
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Irvin Moore’s Grand Rising
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The daily texts I get from Irvin Moore are like wake-up calls from a life coach. “Welcome to this Grand Rising,” they say. Each brings new, usually glad tidings to Irvin’s 165 texting partners. Almost all end on that same positive note. Irvin Moore has a lot to be positive about these days. Last week,…
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Spring into Action
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It’s spring in Happy Valley! Besides your annual reminder to do your spring cleaning and that “April showers bring May flowers,” this spring feels different. Why? Because for the first time since March of 2020 it seems most folks feel safe enough to get back to living a relatively normal life, and that’s an exciting…
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A Whirlwind of Change for James Franklin and Penn State Football
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It’s a brand new Penn State world for James Franklin these days. And we’re not just talking NIL, the transfer portal, an expanded and renovated Lasch building, and Alston payouts to his players. Or the departure of his longtime strength and conditioning coach. Or the departure of his longtime defensive coordinator. Or the departure of…