Top stories: Major fire, former Penn State football player pleads guilty, Movin’ On traffic
Centre County saw a busy news day Thursday, with stories ranging from a devastating fire at a Howard cabinet shop to a former Penn State football player’s guilty plea. Here’s a quick look at the top headlines.
• Howard cabinet shop destroyed: A fire at G.P. Cabinets in Howard took an estimated 1 million gallons of water to extinguish and displaced 38 employees. Owner Jim Josefik said he hopes to rebuild, but it will be at least six months before operations resume.
• Maxxen residents displaced for months: A pipe burst in early February at the downtown State College high-rise left some residents in hotels for weeks, with at least one still displaced as of late April. Residents reported financial stress, poor communication and continued rent payments despite being unable to live in their apartments.
• Julian Fleming pleads guilty: Former Penn State wide receiver Julian Crushshon-Fleming, 25, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and DUI in connection with a May 2025 ATV crash that killed his girlfriend, Alyssa D. Boyd, 23. If accepted, his plea deal calls for nine to 23 months in jail and three years of probation.
• Movin’ On traffic warning: Penn State’s 51st annual Movin’ On music festival, headlined by Zara Larsson, takes place Friday at the Intramural Fields from 3:30 to 10:30 p.m. Park Avenue and several surrounding roads will close, and heavy traffic is expected.
• Thompson outraises Bilger 9-to-1: U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson raised more than $360,000 in the first quarter of 2026, compared with $41,320 for Democratic challenger Ray Bilger. Thompson closed the quarter with $822,000 on hand in the race for Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District.
• Pop Up Ave returns Saturday: The outdoor market returns to downtown State College from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, featuring more than 40 vendors, a new “vintage alley” on West Foster Avenue and a beer garden with Boal City Brewing and Antifragile Brewing Company.
• Bellefonte Bread Baker expanding: David Anderson, known online as the Bellefonte Bread Baker, plans to open a brick-and-mortar shop at 167 S. Potter St. by the end of May. The micro-bakery, which began during the pandemic, will host Saturday open houses from 8 a.m. to noon.
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.
