A.M.BRIEFING: Thursday

From CDT staff reports

Man sentenced for supplying date rape drug

A Patton Township man convicted of supplying the date rape drug used in the rape and killing of a Delaware County intern will spend at least 8 months in jail and 6 years on probation for the crime.

Fen Bruce Covington, 59, was arrested in Centre County last October and tried in Delaware County earlier this year. Police say he sold crystal methamphetamines and gamma hydroxybutyric acid, known as GHB or “the date rape drug,” to William Francis Smithson the day 23- year-old Jason Shephard was strangled to death in Smithson’s Media-area home.

Smithson was convicted of first-degree murder in Shephard’s death in 2008. He is serving a life sentence.

Shephard was an intern at the company where Smithson was a manager, and police say Smithson drugged Shephard when he rejected sexual advances. His body was found three days later, wrapped in bed sheets and bound with belts in the basement of Smithson’s home.

Covington was an administrator at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia at the time of the killing. He maintained a residence in State College with his wife and one near St. Joseph’s.

BJC urges Cyrus concert attendees to arrive early

The Bryce Jordan Center is urging those holding tickets to tonight’s sold-out Miley Cyrus concert to arrive early to allow time for traffic and lines they encounter entering the center.

The concert will start at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m. The Orange E Shields parking lot at University Drive and Curtin Road will be designated as the drop-off/pick-up area for parents dropping off or picking up their children for that evening. Access to that parking lot will be off of University Drive and officers will be stationed at crosswalks.

When dropping off passengers, drivers must have four-way flashers on until they leave the parking lot. The show is set to end around 9:20 p.m.

The parking lots surrounding the Bryce Jordan Center will open for the concert at 3 p.m. Parking will be available in Jordan East, Stadium West, Porter North and other lots.

Parking will be limited in Orange E Shields for this concert only. Since the Orange E Shields parking lot is normally reserved for patrons attending the concert with faculty/staff and student permits, Transportation Services will allow those attending the Miley Cyrus concert who have valid Penn State permits to park in Stadium West, Jordan East and Porter North lots.

39 kittens available for adoption this weekend

Fonda’s Foundlings, a local organization that specializes in rescuing stray cats and kittens, is holding an adoption event at Petco this weekend in hopes of finding homes for 39 kittens.

The “Kitten Extravaganza” comes after the organization captured stray cats in nine local colonies over the summer — many of which were pregnant females, said Foundlings director Shirley Fonda.

The adoption event will take place from 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The kittens have been combo tested for feline leukemia and feline AIDS, wormed and have received at least their first distemper vaccine. Adult cats are also available for adoption and can be seen on www.petfinder.com or by appointment. For more information, call Fonda at 238-4758.

CATA to hold meeting on paratransit service

The Centre Area Transportation Authority will hold a meeting Nov. 10 to hear any concerns or suggestions for improving its CATARIDE paratransit service. The service provides curb-to-curb transportation for people 65 and older and those whose disabilities prevent their use of the CATA bus fixed-route public transit service.

The meeting will be at 1 p.m. at the CATA main office boardroom, 2081 W. Whitehall Road, Ferguson Township. For more information, contact Sherry Snyder, acting paratransit coordinator, at 238-2282, ext. 153, or e-mail ssnyder@catabus.com.