Good morning, State College.

Wawa broke ground Tuesday at 169 W.

Aaron Dr. in Ferguson Township for its first local store—a 5330 sqft convenience location with six fueling islands expected to open by the end of 2027. Local officials and community members joined Wawa representatives at the event.

TownePlace Suites by Marriott opened near the airport on Sept.

25 and held a ribbon-cutting Monday, Oct. 19 at 118 Donald Dr. The 96-room extended-stay hotel hosted local officials, campus football players, and community tours to mark its arrival and build partnerships with nearby businesses.

A study by Penn State professor Chenhui Guo finds a new worker guarantee on an online labor platform may hurt gig workers in University Park as employers view the 10% bid deposit as a sign of weak credentials, leading to lower ratings and fewer rehires.

The eighth Centre Film Festival runs Nov.

2-8, showing films from around the world and local productions at the State Theatre and Rowland Theatre (Philipsburg). Mayor Ezra Nanes proclaimed Centre Film Festival Week; individual tickets go on sale today.

Penn State alumnus Joe Atkinson, PwC's global chief AI officer, said AI is reshaping the job market and emphasized blending technical and human skills in an interview.

He noted Penn State's new degree program in AI methods and applications (designed to boost career readiness) will prepare graduates for rapid change.

A Pennsylvania bill banning phones from schools passed the House and now awaits Senate review, with exemptions for students who need phones for medical or educational reasons (as noted by Sen. Devlin Robinson).

The measure cites data linking smartphone use to lower mental health and focus in classrooms.

Penn State field hockey is ranked No. 19 in the NFHCA poll after a seven-win streak that included upsets over top-25 teams.

The Nittany Lions will face No. 13 Indiana at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 with the match streamed on Big Ten Plus.

Penn State women's hockey forward Nicole Hall was named to Team Sweden for the IIHF Women’s World Championship and Lidl Hockey Games, announced by Swedish Ice Hockey Association.

They will play the Lidl Hockey Games from Oct. 28 to 31 then compete in the championship from Nov. 6 to 16.

At Rec Hall on Tuesday, Coach Cael Sanderson previewed Penn State’s wrestling season (opening Nov.

12 against Bloomsburg) and said Levi Haines is training in State College for a potential return while Masanosuke Ono continues to impress with his performance and academics.

Penn State men’s hockey hosted Robert Morris yesterday at Pegula Ice Arena at 6 p.m. as the Nittany Lions, still looking for their first win, sought to build momentum following early struggles with discipline — the winless Colonials also aimed to secure a breakthrough.

Coach Matt Campbell reaffirmed his faith in QB Rocco Becht despite recent mistakes and noted that WR Koby Howard was progressing, though his availability for Purdue remained uncertain.

He said his staff planned to recruit top prospects this week while staying focused on team preparations for upcoming Big Ten games.

Penn State women's hockey forward Nicole Hall will join Sweden's national team as junior alternate captain for the Lidl Hockey Games from Oct.

28 to Oct. 31 in Södertälje and the IIHF Women's World Championship from Nov. 6 to Nov. 16.