Good morning, State College.

Former Penn State alumnus Mike Helms & his wife Martha donated over $175,000 to the Glee Club endowment to lower each student’s tour fee to about $600, enabling 42 members to travel on a 10-day concert tour in Prague, Vienna and Budapest.

The gift also includes $60,000 in matching funds to support estate contributions to the endowment.

State College Area School District approved new permanent policies — including random searches with metal detectors and mandatory ID lanyards — to boost safety following an April threat allegedly planned by a former student.

The K-12 district will enforce these measures when classes resume on Aug 26.

A State College area family is among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association alleging that its rules keep parochial school students from joining public school sports when their own schools do not offer them—rules that they claim violate constitutional rights. The suit seeks to have the policy declared unconstitutional and to recover legal fees.

Sigma Pi fraternity at Penn State was suspended indefinitely for hazing and misconduct effective July 17th — losing all University privileges and now operating as an unrecognized group off campus.

The investigation found reports of forced drinking and abuse, and the University urged students to steer clear of unrecognized groups.

Ellie Sheehan will serve as the first female Drum Major for the Penn State Blue Band for the 2025-26 season.

She is a fifth-year student from Hollidaysburg studying marketing with a minor in digital media trends and analytics.

The West Suburban Little League Softball team got a sendoff to the World Series on Thursday morning as families helped load a charter bus for their trip to Greenville, NC after winning the Pennsylvania State and Mid-Atlantic Regional titles.

The team will play its first game on Sunday, Aug. 3 against the New England Regional winner from Guilford, Conn. — community support helped cover travel costs for parents.

Penn State men's basketball will play Pitt inside the GIANT Center in Hershey on December 21—marking their first meeting since 2017 and the 149th matchup in a series where the Nittany Lions lead with a 76—72 record.

Penn State men’s basketball and Pitt will play a neutral-site game at the GIANT Center in Hershey on Dec.

21—ticket, tipoff, and broadcast details will be announced later.

Open Gym

Beat the evening heat and have the kids burn off some energy at CEG's Summer Tuesday night Open Gyms! Open for ages 1–18, but please note that ages 1–5 require a parent or guardian to stay with them. 6:15pm–7:30pm at Centre Elite Gymnastics, 177 Champion Drive, Suite 200, State College, PA 16803. $5/members, $10/non-members.

Molly Tuttle Live in Concert

8-11 p.m. — The State Theatre — $30+ — Experience the award-winning talents of Molly Tuttle in an unforgettable evening of music.

Anna Pearl Belinda at Seven Mountains Wine Cellars

2-4 p.m. — Seven Mountains Wine Cellars and Stonefly Cafe — Free entry — Enjoy original tunes from local singer-songwriter Anna Pearl in a cozy atmosphere.

Romperayo

7-10 p.m. — Manny's Performance Space — From $11.99 — Experience a vibrant musical journey through Colombian tropical folklore and modern rhythms.