The daily collegian. (University Park, Pa.) 1940-current, September 03, 2010, Image 5

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    The Daily Collegian
Congressman Joe Sestak, D-Pa., gives June Nevin, of Lock Haven, Pa., a kiss on the cheek during a parade at the
Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair on Thursday afternoon.
Sestak campaigns at Grange Fair
By Brendan McNally
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
If Congressman Joe Sestak didn’t
shake the hand of every single spec
tator Thursday at the Centre County
Grange Encampment and Fair in
Centre Hall, he was certainly trying
to.
Sestak, D-Pa., literally ran from
person to person shaking hands, try
ing to keep up with the rest of the
parade while ringing off greetings
like “Hello I’m Joe Sestak, a former
Navy sailor running for U.S. Senate’’
or, when he shook the hands of chil
dren, “Hi, I'm just a boring congress
man.”
But there wasn’t much time for
talk. As the County Fair’s parade
moved through the fairgrounds, so
did Sestak.
At one point, the former Navy
admiral leapt over a small chain-link
gate to keep up with the pace while
still getting in as many handshakes
as possible.
“I’ve lost 11 lbs. in the last year,”
Sestak, 58, toldone supporter. “I’m in
the best shape of my life.”
While caught up in the rush of the
parade, Sestak didn’t talk much poli
WANNA HANG
PENN STATE
tics, but he touched on his cam
paign’s main points with little snip
pets of conversation here and there
with the parade’s spectators.
He told one man the federal gov
ernment has to reduce its budget
deficit by finding ways to pay for
every new program it enacts a
strategy he called “pay as you go."
He said in an interview after the
parade that his Republican oppo
nent, former congressman Pat
Toomey, voted against the “pay as
you go" program.
Still, many in the crowd expressed
concerns over the Democrats’
spending.
“He’s got a lot of good ideas," said
spectator Pacific Scitti, of
Arronsburg, Pa. "But the biggest
problem I have is that we spend,
spend, spend hell we’re broke!"
After the parade, Sestak highlight
ed what he said was his commitment
to higher education.
Sestak said he voted to expand Pell
Grants for college students by $63 bil
lion, but said Toomey had voted
against expansions in education
spending.
But for the most part, Sestak
stayed away from politics. Some peo-
WITH
adventure recreatio
I. O C A I,
pie whether it was because they
disagreed with Sestak’s politics or
were just mad he was holding the
parade up refused to shake the
congressman’s hand.
But Sestak didn’t seem to mind.
He would just move on shaking
hands until he found a supporter
many times in the form of fellow vet
erans like Wesley Braun of
Bellefonte.
Braun told Sestak about his time in
U.S.-occupied Japan after World War
Two but he said he wasn’t com
pletely sold on Sestak because he
said he hadn’t been following politics
lately.
“With all I’ve seen in this world,"
Braun said. “It just seems that love is
missing and greed has taken over.”
Braun said that whoever is elect
ed, he’d like to see them take the
greed out of politics.
Others echoed that sentiment.
When one man told Sestak that the
federal government and Democrats
were taking the country in the wrong
direction, Sestak had a simple
answer. “Yes, but we can fix it,”
Sestak said. “We’re Americans.”
To e-mail reporter: bwmsl47@psu.edu
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Police expect
in crime
nse
By Zach Geiger
COLLEGIAN STAFF^WRITER
Since the start of the semester two weeks ago. State
College Police said they hav e seen a noticeable increase in
criminal activity in the borough, despite no major events.
But don’t expect them to be unprepared for the first
home football game.
During the weekend of August 20 there were 14 minor
law violations, eight DUls. five incidents of public drunken
ness and one non-DUI felony aggravated assault with five
defendants, police said.
And last weekend the first weekend since classes
began police report there was an even larger increase in
this type of activity.
“The activity level was similar to a football weekend.
State College Police Department Lt. Chris Fishel said.
With dozens of individuals arrested last weekend and
multiple DUI cases. Fishel said the numbers stand out
because the weekend did not include a special event like a
football game.
"The first weekend, unfortunately, was replete with alco
hol-related incidents among our students." Vice President
for Student Affairs Damon Sims said.
Any student cited for underage possession or consump
tion of alcohol on or off-campus will have to appear
before Penn State Judicial Affairs and face local legal pro
ceedings. Sims said.
Additionally, students will be placed in the recently adopt
ed Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College
Students (BASICS' program at a cost of S2OO to the student,
and face any judicial sanctions like warnings or probation,
he said.
"We want to do all we can in concert with students, stu
dent leaders, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and community
members to encourage students and others toward healthy
and safe relationships with alcohol." Sims said.
Police said they typically see an increase in activity
downtown in September and they don't expect this year to
be an exception.
But with Labor Day falling this weekend, there is a pos
sibility that students wall be out of town and visiting with
family. Fishel said.
Still, there will be a strong police presence downtown to
ensure everyone is safe. Sims wrote.
"This is a community issue and all the resources ol the
community are working in concert to address it,' Sims said.
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