Street Resurfacing: Public Works crews completed replacing deteriorated curb gutter for the 2011 street re-surfacing project. The contractor anticipates on beginning to pave the week of August 22. The streets being paved are Stony Lane, North Burrowes Street, Saxton Drive, and Marylyn Avenue.

Handicap Ramp Replacement: The contractor is expected to begin replacing handicap ramps at South Allen Street/Nittany Avenue, and South Allen Street/Foster Avenue the week of August 22. The project will also include the installation of a storm-ceptor on the SE corner of South Allen Street and Foster Avenue. Public Works crews will install the storm-ceptor prior to the contractor installing the handicap ramps.

Bike Path Realignment: Public Works crews will begin realignment on the bike path at Blue Course Drive and Bayberry Drive the week of August 15. The project will remove the existing diagonal crossing at Blue Course Drive and will provide a straight approach to the crossing for bicyclists.

Teams of local officials are once again set to visit downtown neighborhoods on Tuesday, August 23 beginning at 6:00 pm to distribute information packets highlighting tips for hosting safe parties; information on dangerous drinking; pointers on how to be a good neighbor; ordinance details regarding trash, noise, parking and recycling; and emergency contact information.

State College prides itself on its diversity and openness. We are a community that includes both students and permanent residents.  We all live here together, so let's make the most of it! Introduce yourself and meet your neighbors. "Hello" goes a long way. Giving your neighbors some background information about yourself helps them see you as the individual you are and not as "some student." Also, keep your neighbors informed of what's going on with you. Let them know if you are having a party, getting a dog, or going away for the weekend. These events may affect them too, and letting them know is the right thing to do. You just might make some great new friends along the way!

A group of volunteers from the Penn State Development Summer Internship Program assisted staff on July 29 with the kickoff of the Westerly Parkway Constructed Wetland. Students removed brush, cleared the fence of vines, and pruned trees to make way for a wood chipped walking path that will provide public access to a constructed wetland in the Westerly Parkway Detention Basin. The path will be installed this month with the help of more Penn State volunteers as part of this year’s Fresh START Day of Service. Community volunteers are needed to assist Borough Staff  throughout the development of the wetland to make this project a success. If you or a group you represent would like to volunteer with the construction of the wetland (planting, fence restoration, trail building & bridge building) or donate materials (benches & interpretive displays), please contact Alan Sam via e-mail at  or call (814) 234-7140. 

State College Borough Council encourages everyone who would like to offer his or her time, talent and expertise to the community to consider a volunteer position with State College Borough. Each year more than 80 Borough residents volunteer on various Authorities, Boards, and Commissions (ABCs). Volunteering for one of our ABCs is an excellent way for State College residents to offer advice to Borough Council and Borough Administration on municipal policies and issues. Currently, we have vacancies on the following: 

1. The Rental Housing Revocation Appeal Board - alternate. This appointment expires December 31, 2012.
2. The Authorities Board with term ending December 31, 2012.
3. The Human Relations Commission with term ending December 31, 2013.
4. The Board of Health with term ending December 31, 2011.
5. The Civil Service Commission with term ending December 31, 2013.
6. The Design Review Board with term ending December 31, 2011.
7. The Community Development Block Grant Citizens Advisory Committee (CDBG CAC) with term ending December 31, 2012.
8. The Community Development Block Grant Citizens Advisory Committee (CDBG CAC) with term ending December 31, 2012.

If you are interested in shaping the future of State College, we might have an opportunity for you. Click here to learn more about each ABC and how to apply. You can also call the Borough Manager’s Office (814) 234-7115 for more information.

If you love music, here's a great way to add to your collection - for free! Schlow now offers free MP3 music file downloads on their website through Freegal Music, an online database that provides access to songs from the 54 labels in the Sony Music Entertainment catalog.

Over 500,000 songs, including current hits from the cast of Glee, rock classics such as Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run”, and jazz standards like Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" are available. New music is added daily, and there are thousands of artists, tens of thousands of albums, and over 100 genres of music represented.

All Schlow Centre Region Library cardholders are eligible for three free MP3 downloads per week. A Schlow library card number and PIN are all that are necessary to access and download songs.

Compatible with PCs, Macs, iPods, iPads, and other MP3-compatible devices, the music files do not expire. Visit www.schlowlibrary.org to download your first trio of free songs. Freegal Music has been made possible by the Friends of Schlow Centre Region Library.

All of these and much more are featured in the just released “The Great Book of Penn State Sports Lists”, a highly entertaining and informative collection of ranked lists focusing on the players, events, and personalities that have made generations of fans proudly scream, “We are Penn State!”

Written by Town&Gown editor David Pencek and brother and fellow Penn State alum Matthew Pencek, the book has nearly 100 provocative chapters, including “Greatest Athlete in Each Sport”, “Could’a…Should’a…Won the Heisman”, and, of course, “Tailgate Treats”.  More than 20 famous guest contributors, including Matt Millen, Jack Ham, Lydell Mitchell, Lou Holtz, Kelly Mazzante, and Joe Bastardi add to the lively, opinionated fun. It’s almost instantaneous -- read the book, and the debates begin.

Meet the author David Pencek on Thursday, September 1 at 7:00 pm at Schlow Centre Region Library. Mr. Pencek will share stories of the research – and debates! – that went into the writing of book. He stands ready to defend his lists – and hear your alternatives! Free to the public, this is a great way to kick off the opening of football season.