Here's your local news at a glance for Saturday, the 9th of May.
Good morning, State College.
💼 Business
Happy Valley Casino celebrated its grand opening on Friday, May 8 at the Nittany Mall with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by local officials and community leaders.
The new venue features 600 slot machines, 30 table games, a full-service restaurant + bar, and donated proceeds to local nonprofits.
🎓 Education
Penn State and Westinghouse signed a new five-year agreement on May 6 to advance nuclear research and boost workforce training.
The deal funds fellowships, paid internships and projects that support graduate and technical studies at University Park — building on a legacy of nuclear innovation.
Three Penn State alumni trustees were elected, with incumbent Jay Paterno securing his fourth term and newcomers Karen Keller and Joseph DeRenzo winning their first terms from 17,720 ballots cast at a Friday board meeting.
This decision will influence upcoming board discussions at the university.
Commencement events run from May 8 to May 10 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Today, the Smeal College of Business ceremony starts at 9 a.m. with parking available at Jordan East, Stadium West, and Porter North while certain routes remain closed.
Melissa Kunes will retire on May 15 after more than 40 years at Penn State (where she helped manage over $1.5 billion in annual financial aid).
Her work has shaped the university’s aid system and will guide future student access.
Penn State College of Education professor Gilberto Q.
Conchas co-edited a book on advancing equity in education that recently received the 2026 Outstanding Book Award from the Society of Professors of Education (a national honor); the volume explains how leadership, policy and research work together to address inequities in schools.
Penn State will name five new Evan Pugh University Professors effective July 1 to recognize excellence in research and teaching.
The appointments honor W. Niel Brandt, Long-Qing Chen, Runze Li, Karen Thole and Adri van Duin for advancing fields from astronomy to mechanical engineering.
Penn State Canvas access was restored at 1:30 p.m. Friday after a cybersecurity incident caused a temporary outage on Thursday.
An email from Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos noted that graduating students with deferred grades must resolve them by May 27.
🏈 Sports
Freshman infielder Allison Oneacre was unanimously chosen for the All-Big Ten First and All-Freshman teams following Friday’s awards announcement after Penn State’s loss to UCLA in the tournament quarterfinals.
Two other players made the All-Big Ten Second Team while pitcher McKenna Young earned a Sportsmanship honor.
Penn State will face Wisconsin at Beaver Stadium on Sept.
26 at 3:30 p.m. for its Big Ten opener as part of Homecoming weekend; the game continues a six-game win streak that began in 2012.
Penn State will open its 2026 season at Ryan Field on Oct.
2 against Northwestern at 8 p.m. FOX will broadcast the game, which marks the debut of the Big Ten's newest stadium and the first confirmed kickoff of the Matt Campbell era.
🎉 State College Events
Submit an event →
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.
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.
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.
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.
🏠 State College Real Estate
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💼 State College Job Board
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📣 State College Announcements
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