The Daily Collegian Published independently by students at Penn State Lawmakers vexed over less-than-pressing proposals By Evan Trowbridge COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Pennsylvania representatives might not be able to tell voters when the state budget will pass, but some have set the date for Worldwide Day of Play on Sept. 26. While the state budget enters its third month in limbo, some bills and resolutions being brought up for consideration in Harrisburg may come across as less than urgent. In addition to penciling in Worldwide Day of Play, Penn-svl Sensei Jaeson Koszarsky. of State College, right, demonstrates a karate move on Joe Anstine (senior-toxicology) during Tuesday night's Penn State Karate Club self-defense demonstration in the White Building. Anstine said the demonstration was a good way for interested students to learn more about what the Karate Club does. See full story, page 2 Police look into 11 car break-ins By Kevin Cirilli COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Police are investigating 11 reported downtown car break-ins that occurred this weekend, leaving shattered glass windows and more than a thousand dol lars worth of stolen electronics and merchandise in their wake. “It's a good possibility it was the same people," State College Police Lt. Chris Fishel said. Police are actively investigating the incidents and are calling on students and locals to come forward with any information or to report additional auto thefts, Fishel said. The incidents began last Thursday In one break-in over the weekend, an unlocked driver-side window was smashed open on the 200 block of East Beaver Avenue. Unknown individuals took an iPod and a GPS system worth a combined total of about $7OO. the State College Police Department said. Lavishly redone Beta By Lindsay Cryer COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER After the largest fraternity house renovation in history, the Beta Theta Pi house lacks almost nothing except members. But the fraternity's alumni board is quick to stress the future of the chapter looks bright, even if some former brothers still hold a grudge over their March eviction after hazing and party violations. After a $2 million donation from alumnus Donald Abbey in 2004. the Beta Theta Pi house. 220 N. Burrowes Road, undertook a large-scale renovation effort, which began in 2005 and is cur rently in its final stages. Abbey's donation which has since grown to $7.5 million total is the largest single donation to a frater- vania residents may need to mark their September calendars for Commodore John Barry Day, Gold Star Mother’s Day, Vertebral Subluxation Awareness Month, National Food Safety Education Month and Emergency Pre paredness Month, should current resolutions in the legislature pass. Pennsylvanians may also want to set aside time to brush up on their dancing skills in case House Bill 1937 passes, which would make polka the official state dance of Pennsylvania and square danc On Sunday morning, an individual told police a GPS device and purse worth a combined total of $3OO were taken from a locked car sometime over the weekend, also on the 200 block of East Beaver Avenue, police said. Police said a window of a Chevrolet Lumina was smashed Friday night on the 100 block of South Pugh Street, but police said they are not certain if any thing was taken. On the same block, another person reported that an iPod, GPS system and sunglasses were stolen from a locked 2009 Toyota Tundra. But the thefts aren't just happening to cars. Police also reported two bike thefts over the weekend. Fishel said incidents similar to the weekend's car break-ins have happened in the past and said police were eventu ally able to stop them with the help of citizens. He urged people to notify authorities if they see anyone "acting suspiciously" downtown. nity nationwide and has funded the largest house renovation in the history of fraternities in the United States, said Ken Rawley. the executive director of the Abbey Leadership Foundation. The renovation includes new hardwood floors, new "Beta Red” carpeting, new equipment and copper ceilings in two kitchens, Argentinean hardwood bed frames in all bedrooms and an exterior slate patio. The basement was also redone with oak walls, a skylight and air conditioning. "I walk by every day and this beautiful house just sits there,” said Kyle Richless, a former Beta Theta Pi member. "It's such a waste." The brothers were evicted after the chapter was disbanded in February 7 after facing suspension ing the official American folk dance. “The polka dance and those silly things, I think those are a waste of time,” state Rep. Kerry Benning hoff, R-Centre, said. “I’d like to see them seriously, seriously reduced.” The resolutions usually do not take up much time in the House and are often voted on while wait ing on procedures, Benninghoff said. However, he still believes they’re inappropriate for a state in a budget impasse that has kept Vehicle break-ins Two of 11 recent vehicle break-ins have occured on South Pugh Street and two have occurred on East Beaver Avenue. South Pugh Street 100 Block Two vehicle break-ins *The other seven locations have not been released by police. Police did not provide an official cost estimate of all 11 incident reports. To e-mail reporter: kncso63@psu.edu Theta Pi house remains vacant for alleged party violations and hazing. For Richless (junior finance), what was once shock and anger about losing the house is now sadness. He said he and other former fra ternity members rarely speak of the matter anymore, it's a "sore subject.” “They didn’t ask for someone to make their house into a shrine,” said Lloyd Richless, Kyle's father and the organizer of a parent group that fought the members’ eviction. "It’s something you would dream about. It’s absolutely gorgeous.” Since the eviction, the house has had three caretakers who have kept an eye on the property and led active chapter reestablish ment efforts, said Dan Wilhelm, See HOUSE. Page 2. wages from state workers and grant money from college stu dents. “I think there are some legiti mate ones ... but I don’t want that to be the only thing that occurs.” Benninghoff said. The resolutions are “one of the very low time-consuming things that representatives can do ... to encourage people to work harder and recognize people for things," said Leon Czikowsky, a spokesman for state Rep. Cohen, D-Philadelphia, the prime sponsor Daniel Bott/Collegian East College Avenue East Beaver Avenue ' 200 Block Two vehicle break-ins re Police Department Brittany Pavelko/Collegian Abby Drey ’Collegian Renovations have been made to the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house at 220 N. Burrowes Road. A $7.5 million donation from alumnus Donald Abbey paid for the renovations. psucollegian.com of Vertebral Subluxation Aware ness Month, which recognizes the work of Pennsylvania chiroprac tors. The resolutions are often intro duced as “non-controversial,” meaning they are not intended to be controversial and rarely face debate. State Rep. Paul Clymer, R- Bucks, the prime sponsor of the bill involving polka and square dancing, said the bill will take “a backseat" to the budget. See LAWMAKERS. Page 2. Faculty Senate talks flu, energy By Lexi Belculfine COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Right before he addressed the Faculty Senate on Tuesday afternoon, Jeremy Cohen received an e mail saying two students on campus had contract ed HINI and have been asked to self-isolate for two weeks “We’re trying to encourage stu dents to stay away if they're ill," said Cohen, the associate vice president and senior associate dean for undergraduate education. "We’re here to help them survive the semester." The Faculty Senate addressed Spanier Penn State’s response to HINI at its meeting Tliesday, discussing flu prevention among other topics including the university budg et and a new Energy Conservation Policy. A vaccine for HINI will hopefully be available in mid-October, though faculty and students are encouraged to get the seasonal flu vaccine in the meantime, Director of University Health Services Margaret Spear said in her address to the Eaculty Senate. "We speculate that if you can protect yourself from the seasonal flu, that you can protect yourself from HINI.” said Senate member Billie Willits, the associate vice president for Human Resources. The HINI vaccine will be made available to at risk groups first, which includes college students. As 70 percent of people who have contracted HINI in Pennsylvania are under 24, the university has moved quickly to respond. Public restrooms and dining commons will be cleaned more often, Spear said, and while it is nearly impossible to dis infect keyboards, hand sanitizer will be available in all computer labs soon. "The response to HINI is measured yet appro priate." said Nicholas Quesenberry. a student sen ator for the Dickinson School of Law. "Flexibility' is really encouraged so it won t hinder academic suc cess." In other business, the university's new Energy Conservation Policy is making a special effort to cut costs and greenhouse gasses bv targeting wasteful fume hoods and community computers. There are 1,330 fume hoods in engineering and science buildings at University Park alone, con tributing $4.3 million to the university's $43 million See FACULTY. Page 2.
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