Catching up with Centre County: 7 stories you may have missed this week
From a death at a Benner Township state prison to questions about casino tax revenue, here are some of the top stories from the Centre Daily Times this week. Coverage also spans a coaching shakeup at State High, a major library grant and more.
Here are key takeaways:
• Keith Levan, 40, of Columbia County, was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday at Benner Township state prison and was later pronounced dead. State police said Levan died by suicide and there was no foul play. An investigation is ongoing.
• Happy Valley Casino is projected to bring between $762,000 and $1.4 million to both Centre County and College Township in its first year, but officials say it’s too early to decide how to spend the money.
• A Polish Water Ice franchise plans to open at 127 W. Beaver Ave. in State College by the end of April, serving stadium-style concessions and frozen treats.
• State College Area School District is searching for a new varsity softball coach after Scott Kaminske was removed less than two months after being hired. The district called it a personnel matter and did not release additional details. The school district did not answer questions from the CDT about whether it was aware of Kaminske’s 2023 DUI and reckless endangerment charges, or what background checks are required for coaching staff.
• A detour at the I-80/I-99 interchange project near Bellefonte has been extended through July due to severe winter weather delays. The detour was originally supposed to remain in effect until the end of March.
• The Centre Hall Library received a $750,000 Keystone Grant to help fund a roughly 2,500-square-foot expansion that will more than double the building’s footprint. The library must raise an additional $750,000 to match the grant total, and officials expect those funds to come from a combination of general fundraisers, gifts, the upcoming Centre Gives event and more.
• The Department of Homeland Security appealed a judge’s ruling that would allow Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, 64, to remain in the U.S. after spending more than 43 years in prison on a wrongful murder conviction. The appeal and a longer-than-hoped-for district court review has “pushed the staggering hardships Vedam has withstood into a new level of surreal territory,” a family spokesperson said. Vedam remains at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center just outside Philipsburg.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
