Voices of Central Pa

 By Tamara Conrad and Suzan Erem
This story produced with assistance from Janelle Applequist

“Penn State: Party School” is a moniker that makes many State College residents over 30 groan in dismay and many under 30 cheer with mischievous glee. Borough officials juggle limited resources and complicated relationships. Downtown restaurant and tavern owners watch alcohol and food sales skew out of balance. The state pulls millions in taxes out of the community to help balance its budget. And Penn State officials repeat a mantra about how complicated the issue is, how we all need to work together and how it’s a national, not just a Penn State, problem.

The basic statistics are startling.

In the 2008-2009 academic year, 30 percent more students were admitted to Mount Nittany Medical Center for alcohol related problems than the year before. Police issued 29 percent more citations to students for public drunkenness. In a recent university survey, more than half of Penn State students identify themselves as moderate to heavy drinkers, and almost half report not remembering some of what happened the night before. More than 77 percent of the students who drink had Blood Alcohol Content above the legal driving limit. And more students are launching their college careers with drinking patterns in place.

Meanwhile, business is booming at the state liquor stores, especially here. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board reports the liquor sales in 2007 averaged 3.51 gallons per Centre County resident for the year, well above the state average of 2.92 gallons.

cartoon by Tom Baker 2010

Remember Black History Month in Central Pa!

USN Rear Admiral (Retired) and Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak, interviewed by Voices editor Suzan Erem.

How much do you want to bet that the Dem party elite will take exactly the wrong message from this, and bend even farther to put their corporate big-money lobbyists first?