4 I Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010 Local man sentenced for role in A State College man received five to 10 years in state prison on three felony drug charges. By Zach Geiger COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER A State College man received five to 10 years in state prison for his involvement in a local cocaine ring run out of his former gas sta tion. Greg Palazzari, 54, of 2243 Bristol Ave., was sentenced on three felony drug charges Monday, Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller wrote Spanier supports service By Micah Wintner COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Members of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity presented Penn State President Graham Spanier with a check Tliesday morning. But the check was not for money: It was good for one com munity service project. About 10 members of the fra ternity’s executive board met in Spanier’s conference room in Old Main to present the check. Sydney Fitzgerald, president of the co-ed fraternity, said it is not like a traditional fraternity and doesn’t have a house. “We build friendships through our [community] service," Fitzgerald (senior-education and public policy) said. So far this semester the frater nity has volunteered at Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, the Bennett Family Center and D.C. Central Kitchen, a soup kitchen in the nation's capitol, Fitzgerald said. Spanier, an honorary 7 member of the fraternity since 2003, cashed his check by asking the fraternity to volunteer at the non profit corporation Centre Volunteers in Medicine. Though Centre County is “affluent,” Spanier said, people don't realize many of its resi dents are still people in need. The fraternity will send out a Tours to illuminate PSU history By Megan Rogers COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Taking a tour from a back wards-walking Lion Ambassador isn’t just for high school seniors students attending tonight's Lantern Tours can learn some Penn State trivia through the interactive tours. The tours, which last about 30 minutes, run from 6 to 9 p.m. at Old Main. Tours will begin at Old Main and walk through important Penn State landmarks, like the library. Lion Shrine and HUB-Robeson Center. The annual Lantern Tours illu minate both the important events and dates in Penn State history as well as some more unique tidbits like the history of dating at the university. Prior to the 19505, a male would have to write a letter to the dean of the women's college to ask for per mission to take her on a date, event marketing chairwoman Kat F^=r S STRESSIfI<3 you out P inane-mail. Palazzari was arrest ed Aug. 21, 2009 at his former gas station, Greg's Sunoco, 605 University Dr., after officers from the Centre County Drug Task Force surrounded the location. After conducting a two-month investigation, police determined that Mario Rincon, 28, of 621 Elmwood St., sold the cocaine to Palazzari. Palazzari bought an ounce of cocaine from Rincon every three days, according to court docu ments. Police said Palazzari sold about $50,000 worth of cocaine per month throughout State College. The state’s request to seize con trol of Palazzari’s gas station was granted by Centre County Judge Katie Silvis/Coiiegian Sydney Fitzgerald (senior-education and public policy) and Chris Leighow (senior-mechanical engineering) of Alpha Phi Omega present Penn State President Graham Spanier with a check that is redeemable for one service project Tuesday morning. “We build friendships through our [communityj service.” mailing of nearly 5,000 letters for the corporation, fraternity serv ice vice president Chris Leighow said. The fraternity will be responsi ble for folding and stuffing the envelopes as well as organizing them by zip code, Leighow (sen ior-mechanical engineering) said. Spanier, who described the work as "a lot of physical labor." offered some advice to the frater nity. “Don't get any paper cuts," he said. Spanier said he sends the fra ternity a check every year to If you go What: Lion Ambassadors Lantern Tours When: 6 to 9 tonight Where: Old Main Details: The tours are free and open to the public. Staargaard said. If approved, the couple could canoodle on a park bench for half an hour, Staargaard (senior-business management t said. As a Penn State student, it's important to know about the histo ry of the school, said Eileen Barno, entertainment chair woman for the event. She said the tour will be a crash course in the subject. The event is popular with both students and the community. Lion Ambassadors Vice President Jimmy Gibbons said. “It's great way for students to get to know the campus beyond ,LE ELLS CATH >c vr? cure. ;r!is! nnrko!r' : n'"f’ emp:?- urn < M beaver BETWEEN ALLEN k E» PUGH Bradley Lunsford in Sept. 2009. The two other men involved in the case Rincon and his room mate, Curtis Vonada were pre viously sentenced for their involvement in the drug traffick ing operation. Rincon is serving an aggregate sentence of 10 to 20 years, Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller said in September. He turned himself in on Aug. 25, 2009 after a four-day manhunt and was found guilty on one count of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer and five counts of delivery of cocaine, Parks Miller said. Vonada fled following Palazzari’s arrest. During a police chase, he threw Sydney Fitzgerald (senior-education and public policy) show his support for what they do for the community. The fraternity has a no-hazing policy. It requires 20 hours of commu nity service from prospective members during the pledging semester. Gary Langsdale, an adviser for the fraternity said its mission is to better the community. Presenting the check to Spanier was a “token of their will ingness” to serve, Langsdale said. To e-mail reporter: maws43B@psu.edu the classrooms, campus and pro fessors.” Gibbons (senior-film and video) said. Lantern Tours aren’t just aver age tours, he added they’re interactive, with figures from Penn State’s past popping up to narrate. Gibbons said former uni versity president George Atherton and alma mater author Fred Pattee may make appearances during the tours. But it won’t just be history tonight, he said. Student groups like Blue in the Face, RAM Squad and Whiplash dance team will per form as students wait for tours. And once they end the tour with plenty of newly acquired knowledge Penn State history students can climb the Old Main bell tower to get a view of State College at dusk in the fall. "The view from the bell tower, especially at night, is absolutely stunning," Barno (senior-kinesiol ogy) said. To e-mail reporter: mers2oo@psu.edu Penn SGace seuDenGS: sbay healbhy GUIs uilnGen-geG immunlzedi OCGBBBP 21 Make your appointment! online ad http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health coso 19 $2O and may Da Dined do your 90udeno accouno. Covered by the Penn State student health Insurance plan. (fjj UniversityHealthServices: The student health specialists. Conveniently located on the University Pork campus of Penn State away 20 ounces of cocaine valued at $28,500. A former Centre County Correctional Facility employee, Vonada was charged with posses sion with intent to deliver a con trolled substance, felony conspira cy and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. In 2009 he pleaded guilty in exchange for one year’s probation. An ounce and a half of cocaine, about $16,000 in cash and other drugs and paraphernalia were recovered from Rincon’s apart ment. The drugs seized from the apartment were valued at $37,000. To e-mail reporter: zjgsol2@psu.edu LGBTA to host vigil for students By Matt Scorzafave COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Penn State's LGBTA Student Alliance is sponsoring a candle light vigil from 7 to 9 tonight at the Allen Street Gates in memory of the gay students who recently committed suicide across the country 7 . “It's going to be a ceremony with a spiritual feel to it,” Jordan Darosh (sophomore-liberal arts) said. Darosh, the co-vice president of the LGBTA Student Alliance, said the idea to hold a vigil in honor of suicide victims came up a few weeks ago. The event comes after recent events where nine boys across the country committed suicide as a result of bullying and discrimi nation from their peers. “We discussed it at one of our executive meetings three weeks ago and decided to go for it,” Darosh said. “We sort of just started spreading the word about it and it's really been picked up." Darosh said he created a Facebook group for the event and invited 112 of his personal friends. By press time Tuesday, the event had 198 confirmed atten dees. The event will feature an intro duction and candle-lighting cere mony, as well as a time for the public to share thoughts, poems and readings, Darosh said. “I'm hoping it’s powerful Students enter Old Main in October 2009 for the Lion Ambassadors Lantern Tours. The tours will be held from 6 to 9 tonight and will feature historical anecdotes and characters from Penn State's past. The Daily Collegian ring Timeline Aug. 21, 2009: Greg Palazzari is arrested at his former gas station at 605 University Dr. Aug. 25, 2009: Mario Rincon, who police say sold cocaine to Palazzari, turns himself in after a four-day manhunt. Sept. 2009: Judge Bradley Lunsford grants the state's request to seize control of Palazzari’s gas station. Oct. 18, 2010: Palazzari is sen tenced to five to 10 years in state prison on three felony drug charges. If you go What: LGBTA Student Alliance candlelight vigil for suicide victims When: 7 to 9 tonight Where: Allen Street Gates enough to really reach people." he said. Some students said they are happy to see the LGBTQA com munity come together to spread awareness about bullying. "I definitely support gay rights." Gabbi Heath (sopho more-marketing! said. "I think that everyone has a right to hap piness and shouldn't be discrimi nated against for the choices they make' Heath said she likes the idea of the vigil. "It will bring nationwide issue onto Penn State's campus and students will see that the issue is affecting everyone, not just those involved in the recent suicide's." she said. Darosh said the LGBTA Student Alliance chose to hold the event at the Allen Street Gates so that it would be visible to the off-campus community. "It's visual." he said. "When you drive down College Avenue and see a group ot people con gregated for a common purpose, it really proves our cause," To e-mail reporter: mrss429@psu.edu
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