State College
Today
Friday, May 8th, 2026
Good morning, State College. Here's your local news at a glance for Friday, the 8th of May.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ On May 3, residents from Centre County met at the Invest in Us (The Future of Affordability) event to share firsthand accounts of rising utility, healthcare and housing costs, urging collective action for policy changes and local resource support. StateCollege.com
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Chipotle will open its first Bellefonte area location on Tuesday, May 12 at 10:45 a.m. at 2673 Benner Pike in Benner Township — the restaurant features a drive-thru lane for digital orders and is actively hiring. StateCollege.com
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Penn State Centre Stage alumni will return home for One Night on Broadway at the Playhouse Theatre on campus Monday, May 18. The event features refreshments, desserts, performances — including a gala dinner on stage — and supports the School of Theatre fundraiser sponsored by local businesses. Penn State
- ➤ Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center is hosting its 50th Anniversary Celebration on May 23 from noon to 9 p.m. — the free event offers nature walks, ice cream, a campfire, live music, and food vendors as part of a yearlong series honoring 50 years of discovery. Penn State
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Penn State will host the second AI workshop on May 18-19 where experts will discuss AI's impact on society and the economy. The free event runs from 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. on May 18 and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on May 19 and requires registration from the Penn State community. Penn State
- ➤ Kate Bean, the Bryce Jordan Center marketing director, has received the 2026 Gigi Award of Excellence from the Event and Venue Marketing Conference — the top honor in live event marketing — and will be formally recognized in Sacramento in June. She mentors Penn State students and leads campaigns that bring large-scale events to the arena. Penn State
- ➤ Penn State will hold spring commencement ceremonies from Thursday, May 7 to Sunday, May 10 at University Park, where heavy traffic, parking restrictions, and roadway closures are expected. Visitors are advised to allow extra travel time (consider alternate routes) as thousands flock to campus and downtown. StateCollege.com
- ➤ Mahtab Khabir, a Penn State architecture grad, was honored with the 2026 Jawaid Haider Award for Design Excellence for her thesis project Urban Resonance — a design that reimagines Harlem as a sensory hub. She will graduate this weekend from the College of Arts and Architecture. Penn State
- ➤ Due to construction in the Boucke Building at University Park, Penn State Global staff will move locations from May 11 to Aug. 14. Some teams will relocate to Pattee Library and Innovation Park while others work remotely, affecting all in-person interactions. Penn State
- ➤ Nine members of the Penn State Wildlife Society chapter earned regional honors at Frostburg's Northeast Section conclave from April 16–18, winning a quiz bowl + specimen contest with six individual firsts that helped the team place first overall. The club holds biweekly meetings for wildlife training and networking. Penn State
- ➤ Penn State Residential Housing is nearly done with phase one of Pollock Halls’ renovation; Wolf and Ritner halls will reopen for fall 2026 semester in University Park + the upgrades include energy-efficient systems and updated communal spaces chosen with student input. Penn State
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Penn State travels to Ann Arbor, Michigan today at 6 p.m. to face Stanford in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Tournament. Viewers can catch the game on ESPN+. Onward State
- ➤ Three Penn State men's lacrosse players earned USA Lacrosse All-America honors with Alex Ross, Jon King, and Reid Gills recognized for their season achievements; the team will face Army at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Panzer Stadium. Onward State
- ➤ Freshman Penn State softball player Allison Oneacre was named a finalist for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year award on May 7 (she set team records with 56 RBIs and 18 home runs this season). She will face UCLA in the Big Ten quarterfinals on Thursday. Daily Collegian
- ➤ The NCAA announced on May 7 that starting in 2027 the men’s and women’s Division I basketball tournaments will expand to 76 teams — a change that will allow more at-large bids and boost revenue sharing among schools. Penn State may not see immediate impact after last season's records. Daily Collegian
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PUULUUP with The Wild Shoats
7-10 p.m. — Manny's Live Performance Space — $28 — Experience a unique blend of ancient sounds and modern flair as Ramo Teder and Marko Veisson showcase their musical journey.
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Natural Information Society Concert
7-9:30 p.m. — Manny's Live Performance Space — From $15 — Experience the unique sounds of Natural Information Society, creating long-form compositions since 2010.
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2026 XL Fest All-Access Pass
5:59-7:29 p.m. — Blue Brick Theatre — $99 + fees — Experience 12 shows of hilarious improv magic at the Happy Valley XL Fest.
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Marisa Anderson Live Performance
6-9 p.m. — Manny’s Live Performance Space — $20 — Experience a unique blend of blues, country, and abstract sounds from one of the most distinctive guitar players of her generation.
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TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
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