State College
Today
Wednesday, October 1st, 2025
Good morning, State College. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 1st of October.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ The Downtown State College Improvement District is hosting Discovery Day on October 2 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Children’s Department where kids can make Paper Strip Hedgehogs. The event is free and supplies are limited—first come, first served. Downtown State College
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Pat Romano has transformed a long-dormant restaurant building on College Ave into Happy Valley Live, a Penn State-themed spot with a bar, casual and upscale dining areas, and an event center with a mechanical bull—opening today at 4 p.m. and featuring live music, comedy, and trivia nights while hiring up to 80 staff. StateCollege.com
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Caliente Dance is a student-run Latin group at Penn State that started with a few dancers and has grown to nearly 30, performing salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia and reggaeton at local events in State College—helping residents connect with their Latin heritage. The group builds strong community ties and plans to compete in the future. Daily Collegian
- ➤ Actor Delroy Lindo will visit Penn State University Park on October 7 and 8 to take part in a series of events. He will give a public interview at the Downtown Theatre on October 7 at 4:30 p.m., show a screening of Da 5 Bloods on October 6 at Carnegie Cinema, and lead a workshop with theatre students on October 8 — events co-sponsored by several college departments. Penn State
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ OriginLabs in the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub is launching Make and Take workshops this fall to help Penn State students learn skills like table saw use — building music boxes and neon-style signs. Students will also have a chance to join the Swag Lab event on Oct. 6 to design club items and do hands-on creating. Penn State
- ➤ Penn State Homecoming Week begins October 5 — with a wiffle ball tournament, an Allen Street Jam with local food and live music, and a history fair at Old Main Plaza. The fun celebrations include a talent show, carnival on the HUB Lawn, an ice cream social, a parade, and a Lion Shrine guard event — all building up to Saturday’s football game at 3:30 p.m. in Beaver Stadium. Onward State
- ➤ The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences will host a symposium on Oct. 6 at HUB-Robeson Center that includes four workshops led by Penn State experts in quantum sciences, mathematics, and multi-omics research. The workshops will feature guided sessions and presentations—registration is required for participation. Penn State
- ➤ On Oct.7, professor Swaroop Ghosh will speak on quantum computing at E202 Westgate Building as part of IST Research Talks—he will explain how his lab shifted from hardware design to quantum research to help newcomers learn the field. Penn State
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Bear Meadows Natural Area was added to the national Old-Growth Forest Network in Rothrock State Forest and is now the 39th network forest in Pennsylvania — the 350-acre site protects a rare mountain fen wetland and offers a scenic 3.5-mile loop featuring blooming rhododendrons and diverse landscapes. StateCollege.com
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Penn State women’s basketball revealed its Big Ten schedule for the 2025 to 2026 season with 18 conference games, nine at Bryce Jordan Center and nine on the road. The Lady Lions will open conference play at home against Nebraska on December 6 and join the tournament from March 4 to 8 — they aim to improve on a 1 to 16 record from last season — as they seek a better conference showing. Onward State
- ➤ Penn State men’s hockey is getting ready for the 2025-26 season with new players like top NHL draft pick Gavin McKenna and returning stars Fink and Laubach. Coach Guy Gadowsky says the team has a strong lineup that will boost offense and defense to compete for a national championship. Onward State
- ➤ Junior forward Dane Dowiak was voted captain of Penn State men's hockey last week—Jarod Crespo was named alternate—and both said they felt honored by their teammates' choice. Onward State
- ➤ Penn State’s women’s basketball coach Carolyn Kieger is finalizing several lineup combinations as the team prepares to face Bucknell a little over a month from now. She said the coach will try a four-guard rotation — adding veteran and new players for extra depth. Daily Collegian
- ➤ Penn State men’s soccer defeated Robert Morris 2-0 on Tuesday at Jeffrey Field—Kai Phillip scored the opening goal to break a three-game winless streak, and the team will play Michigan State on Friday at 5 p.m. Onward State
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Coyote Island Live Performance
7-10 p.m. — Manny's Performance Space — From $11.99 — Experience the musical journey of Mike O’Hehir and his unique sound.
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Chatham County Line Concert
8-11 p.m. — The State Theatre — Ticket prices vary — Experience a genre-bending blend of bluegrass, folk, country, and rock from this acclaimed band.
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Live Performance by Los Microwaves with Chaki The Funk Wizard
7-10 p.m. — Manny's Performance Space — From $10 — Experience a unique blend of post-punk and synth pop from this iconic band with live tracks from the early 80s.
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No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
If the path ahead of you is clear, you're probably on someone else's.
~ Joseph Campbell
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