THE DAILY COLLEGIAN Borough approves holiday parking By Paul Osolnick COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER The State College Borough Council approved continuing the "Holiday Courtesy Parking Program" that provides better holiday parking conditions in downtown State College. The policy allows for free park ing at times and helps shoppers avoid tickets caused by parking meters running out of time. Downtown State• College Improvement District (DSCID) Director Jody Alessandrine said the program provides free parking at any municipal location from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Two children from the Child Development and Family Council of State College enjoy some Creamery ice cream on a hot day State Theatre to show free kids movies By Mike Hricik FOR THE COLLEGIAN The State Theatre's "Read It, Watch It" series entertains gener ations of filmgoers every week with family films in cooperation with the Schlow Centre Region Library's summer reading pro gram. For the third consecutive sum mer, films old and new are shown every Wednesday at the State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., free of charge with the help of local sponsors, starting with the 2006 animated comedy "Over the Hedge." Food bank food donations are collected weekly, State Theatre marketing director Kristy Cyone said. Cyone said the atmosphere on summer afternoons thus far has yielded animated reactions from children. "They absolutely love it. We have someone that does an announcement before every show. It never fails," Cyone said. "As soon as you ask them if they're ready for the film, the reaction is absolutely wild." The Schlow Library supervises Alumni groups expand networks to undergraduate students By Megan Rogers COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER The largest dues-paying alumni association in the world is getting a little bit bigger. Five alumni interest groups (AIGs) within the Penn State Alumni Association were formed this year: two chapters of the African American Alumni •Organization MG, the Essence of Joy Alumni Singers AIG, the Columbia (S.C.) chapter and the Northeast Maryland chapter. The LGBTA MG was also reconstitut ed. And about two times a week, the Alumni Association is approached by inu' duals who have ideas for on Monday through Friday. Free parking remains for any parking garage in the borough from 11 a.m. to 10 p.n; on Saturday, too. All parking including munici pal meters on streets and lots and parking garages is free on Sunday, Alessandrine said. Alessandrine said the pol also helps people who park at expired meters during t he holiday season. If someone is parked at an expired meter, the meter maid will not give the person a tick‘t, but instead will place a quarter in the meter for the first !hrH.‘ offenses and place a card or,ilk Voi‘o.. , oAkliz*c.s Courtesy of dandare.org State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., will show "Over the Hedge" this week. about 1,800 children in grades 1-12 ing children's books with film in its summer reading program. adaptations, Cyone said. Children who attend showings But that hasn't prevented have benefited, head of children's diverse crowds of people from services Anita Ditz said. coming to see the films. "The kids enjoy seeing movies "The demographic is pretty of books they've read and that much everyone. Grandparents was the intent the first year they bring the kids. Professors from started," Ditz said. campus come," Cyone said. Now, films are chosen themati cally because of difficulty in find new interest groups, said Kevin Barron, director of volunteer serv ices for the Alumni Association. If the interest for a new group is there, the Alumni Association encourages its growth, Barron said, though he said it is often hard to find a population for some niches. Currently, there are about 35 AIGs within the Penn State Alumni Association and about 270 groups connected to the associa tion, said Kate DeLano, the asso ciate director of strategic commu nications for the Alumni Association. AIGs connect alumni who have either a common interest through college activities such as a club windshield thanking the person for shopping in the downtown dis trict, Alessandrine said. In previous years, the program would avoid giving drivers tickets all together for expired meters, Alessandrine said, but there were some people who would simply never put money in the meters realizing that no ticket would be given. The purpose is not to reward the people who take advantage of the program," Alessandrine said. While the policy has been in place for several years, Borough Manager Tom Fountaine said the council made a few changes to the policy for the 2010 holiday season. -There are school field trips, day care trips and trips for the dis or a common interest as cur rent alumni like location or business. The LGBTA MG was reorgan ized after it went "dormant" from lack of volunteer leadership but not lack of interest in the early 2000 s„ DeLano said. Depending on the type, AIGs can be more focused on network ing events or forging ongoing con nections with current undergrad uates and the university. To become chartered under the alumni association, AIGs must meet some milestones like forming a volunteer board, and holding regular meetings, Barron said. University Park Undergraduate Fountaine said the program is usually in effect from Black Friday the traditionally busy shopping day after Thanksgiving until New Years Day. But this year, the policy will go into affect on Nov. 29, the Monday after Thanksgiving, he said. Fountaine said the change in dates is due to the fact that the final Penn State home game against Michigan State is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and the borough does not want to lose the potential revenue from park ing they would typically receive on a game day. To e-mail reporter: prosoo4@psu.edu Antonio Silas/Collegian abled. The movies have been enjoyed from a few different [groups ofl people we weren't expecting." The State Theatre has shown a commitment to local charities with - Read It, Watch It". A selected charity's represen tatives are invited to the every showing to explain their organiza tion's work, Cyone said. Today's featured charity is Hope for Kids, a nonprofit specialized foster care organization in State College. Hope for Kids public relations offi cer Rebecca Corum-Weaver said forging community relationships with charities is essential. "We're thrilled to be partnered with the State Theatre. We're all very happy to collaborate with the business community" Corum- Weaver said. If you go What: "Read It, Watch It" When: Every Wednesday through Aug. 11 at noon Where: State Theatre Details: Free admission Association President Christian Ragland said he first became involved with the Alumni Association last year, and when he was elected the first black presi dent of UPUA, many members of the African American Alumni Interest Groups reached out to him. Ragland (senior-political sci ence) has met with the chairper son of the African American Alumni reunion and pledged his support to get as many black undergraduates involved with their local chapter of the Alumni Association. "It's another way we can leave our mark on the university as graduates of Penn State," he said. WEDNSEDAY, JULY 21, 2010 I 5 A couple walks at the Arboretum Plants battle heat OPP protects Arboretum By Micah Wintner FOR THE COLLEGIAN The recent heat wave and the effects of a dry summer have had the Office of Physical Plant monitoring the plants at the Arboretum daily. OPP spokesman Paul Ruskin said workers are prepared to battle dry summers at the Arboretum which opened last year because they have installed special Rain Bird irri gation systems. Ruskin said this underground irrigation system is able to pro vide water for the thirsty plants in key sections of the Arboretum. Treegator bags are also used to combat the dry summer, Ruskin said. These are special bags filled with water and tiny holes attached to newly planted trees. Water percolates out of these tiny holes to help water them. "Landscapers monitor the sit uation daily," Ruskin said. Ruskin said these problems, like anything else, have been consuming operating budgets. These funds come from private donations as well as fees for weddings and other receptions people hold in the Arboretum, he said, adding that the facility has suffered very little from prob lems like vandalism and litter. Despite its close proximity to busy Park Avenue, the Arboretum remains a quiet labyrinth of sidewalks that run through neatly trimmed fields of grass and colorful patches of flowers. One of these sidewalks leads to the Margery Enes Smith Soaring Waters, the same foun tain visible from the corner of Park Avenue and Bigler Road. Ruskin said the Arboretum tries to be as energy efficient as possible the Margery Enes Smith Soaring Waters fountain uses recycled water and the fountain's lights shut off at 11 p.m. "This is one of the biggest things to happen during the 36 years I've been here," said Kim Steiner, professor of forest biolo gY Steiner was appointed the Arboretum's director in 1999, but it was not until last year that the gardens were opened to the public. Ruskin also said a lot of excite ment has generated over the project as a whole. What is constructed so far of the Arboretum has been labeled phase one the first of many, Steiner said. The different com mittees in charge of its construc tion have ambitions for the Arboretum that will span sever al more decades, he added. "The community is thrilled with the way the Arboretum has turned out," Ruskin said. "It is currently used as a classroom, living laboratory, gathering place and place for meditation." Both undergraduates and alum ni are looking forwarding to build ing relationships. Dawna Jones, chapter presi dent of the recently formed Pittsburgh chapter of the African American Organization MG said the group was formed to connect with current undergraduate stu dents. "We started the program because we thought it would be a great way to connect with current students at Penn State to make sure they have support and that they have a network to rally around them," Jones, Class of 2005, said. To e-mail reporter: mers2oo@psu.edu
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