Good morning, State College.

Waste Management announced that it will end residential trash and recycling collection in Centre County by the end of August — customers must find a new hauler and will be refunded for any pre-paid service.

Penn State approved an $11.1B operating budget for fiscal year 2027-28 with tuition hikes + spending cuts to offset revenue losses from declining enrollment at University Park.

Trustees granted a 15% bonus to President Neeli Bendapudi to help stabilize rising payroll costs.

Penn State students earned seven top-three finishes at the Professional Keystone Media Awards, including three first-place wins for newscasts that competed with network affiliates in sports and enterprise reporting (judged by the Pennsylvania News Media Association) during 2025.

State College Area School District and other Centre County districts will introduce the Handle With Care program on Sept.

1 so staff can quietly support students affected by traumatic events when police send a confidential note. Administrators will hold trainings and update families about the program soon.

Derek Porter, a film major at Penn State, is completing a summer video production internship with AccuWeather in State College while juggling roles in social media marketing and leasing at his local apartment complex.

He believes each opportunity builds on the last and drives his film career forward.

Mount Nittany Elementary’s $21 million expansion (adding six classrooms, a dedicated cafeteria, and outdoor fields) is nearly finished.

Final cleaning has begun and an occupancy permit is expected early August so the school will be ready for the fall term.

Materials science student Kaylin Lamaute is spending the summer in Osaka through the ASPIRE program, where she grows ferroelectric materials at Osaka University to create thin-film ceramics for electronics.

She uses her Penn State research experience to build a career in engineering (while exploring local culture).

Penn State will honor military service during its 15th annual Military Appreciation Week (Nov.

7 to 14) as it commemorates 35 years since Operation Desert Storm ended. Community members can join events like free legal consultations at North Atherton Starbucks.

Penn State Dickinson Law launched a new Master of Legal Studies program for aspiring leaders and professionals seeking legal expertise.

The 30-credit program offers online classes with a Capstone Simulation in Carlisle or University Park and accepts applications on a rolling basis with an Oct. 1 deadline for a January start.

Penn Staters can register for the Alumni Association’s Roar Tour events ahead of the 2026 football season.

The schedule includes Pregame at Hintz on Oct. 9, Washington Sailgate on Nov. 7, and Maryland Pep Rally on Nov. 28, with live performances, exclusive giveaways + family fun.

Coach Mike Rhoades is reshaping the Hoops roster by adding experienced transfers to improve on last season’s record.

He said the new approach — featuring players Brant Byers and returner Ivan Jurić — will help guide the team in the 2026-27 season.

Penn State football is partnering with Socios.com to launch the Nittany Lions Fan Token that will reward fans with merchandise and tickets before the end of 2026.

The digital app is among the first in US college sports and will support student-athlete NIL activations.

Rookie Gavin McKenna (top overall pick) makes his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs Tuesday, Sept.

29 against Montreal. His schedule includes homecoming games in Pennsylvania where local fans can follow his promising season.