Just in time for Thanksgiving - pyrotechnic bangers and screamers

I once dated a woman who was a pyrotechnic banger and screamer.  Sorry, no names.

From: College of Education List [mailto:L-EDUC@LISTS.PSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Gerald K. Henry Jr
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 4:38 PM
To: L-EDUC@LISTS.PSU.EDU
Subject: FW: Crow Relocation - Fall/Winter 2010

Subject: Crow Relocation - Fall/Winter 2010
CROW RELOCATION  – FALL/WINTER 2010

University Park - The Office of Physical Plant (OPP) crow relocation program will begin as early as Monday, November 29 and will last throughout the late fall and winter as necessary.   Pyrotechnic bangers and screamers will be employed as in past years. These noise-making activities will occur early in the evening shortly after dusk and could continue for a couple of hours each night.  Specific dates and locations will be determined based on roosting patterns and will occur only if needed.  All relocation activities will be conducted by highly-trained and experienced Physical Plant employees.

Last year about 3,000 migrating crows landed on our campus causing unsanitary and unpleasant conditions.  Our goal is to discourage this mass roosting and the accompanying sanitation problems.  

Physical Plant is again partnering with Penn State researchers and the USDA Wildlife Services to relocate the migrating crows.  Penn State will also work closely with the Borough to jointly find solutions to this continuing problem.   This year OPP will not make announcements each time harassment activities are scheduled to take place, but will provide occasional updates as needed.

OPP crews are already monitoring crow concentrations as they return to campus. The public can report bothersome crow activity or clusters by contacting Paul Ruskin at pdr2@psu.edu or by calling 863-9620.

The intersection of porn, church, and lotteries

Okay -- this one is nowhere near State College.  But it is from Detroit, not far from Ann Arbor, where we used to live.  And the story was in today's Centre Daily Times. . . .

Ticket bought at Michigan porn shop worth $129M

By TIM MARTIN

- Associated Press

November 12, 2010 9:41pm EST

LANSING, Mich. — A group of friends and family is obscenely rich after winning a nearly $129 million jackpot with a lottery ticket bought at a Detroit-area porn shop. And some of the money will be devoted to sacred purposes.

Mike Greer, a member of the group, came forward Friday to claim the Powerball winnings on behalf of the others, who chose to remain anonymous. Greer - who said only that the group has more than two members and fewer than 100 - indicated some of the riches will be going to a church. 

"The only thing I can assume is that the Lord trusted us to do certain things with the money that He bestowed upon us," he said. "That's the only thing that I can gather."

Um, yeah.  And did the lord pick the winning numbers himself?

The world's largest urinal

From today's Centre Daily Times -- another great moment in post-game celebration, but not from a student this time.

CATA reports man urinated on bus

From CDT staff reports

November 8, 2010 8:25am EST

A Centre Area Transportation Authority employee reported an intoxicated man urinated while on board a bus near Beaver Stadium at 11:58 p.m. Saturday.

The man was identified as a Penn State employee and was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center by Penn State EMS.

A spliff for the band

From today's Centre Daily Times. 

High school football players fight after game
A fight broke out between several players on the State College Area High School and Central Dauphin East High School football teams as the teams walked off the field after the game Friday night. No one was injured or charged in connection with the incident. 

Separately, a member of Central Dauphin’s band was found by police to be in possession of 11 grams of marijuana. He was charged with drug possession.

Makes those cold November night games go a little quicker if you can light up between reps of the school's fight song.

It's been a tough year for the Nittany Lion mascot

From today's Daily Collegian:

Nittany Lion mascot permanently dismissed

By Kathleen Loughran
Collegian Staff Writer

Nittany Lion mascot Clint Gyory has been permanently released from his duties as mascot after he violated a team rule, Penn State Cheerleading Coach Curtis White said in a statement.

Gyory (junior-business management) could not be reached for comment by press time Monday, and the specifics of which team rule was violated were not released.

The Penn State Athletic Department previously suspended Gyory for one month as a result of a citation for public drunkenness and criminal mischief on Aug. 1.

Though Max Levi took the place of Gyory during the suspension, no information regarding the current mascot replacement could be released by press time Monday.

Levi (senior-mathematics and economics) declined comment.

Levi handed back the position of mascot to Gyory on Sept. 28, when the suspension ended.

Though Steven Herb — who co-authored the book “The Nittany Lion: An Illustrated Tale,” which chronicles the history of the mascot — said people have “stepped down” from the mascot position for “a variety of reasons,” he said he does not recall anyone ever being dismissed.

“In my recent memory and in my research, I don’t recall that that’s happened, so I guess that’s why I’m surprised,” said Herb, who is also the head of the Education and Behavioral Sciences Library at Penn State. “He was a terrific mascot while he was a mascot, and I’m sorry to see him go.”

During the spring semester of his freshman year, Gyory was named mascot, which made him the first freshman to serve as mascot in 15 years.

Before Gyory, James Sheep — who was also previously cited for alcohol-related problems — claimed the title as the Nittany Lion mascot

On November 2, 2008 then-mascot Sheep was found to be under the influence of alcohol while driving.

Sheep was later suspended and did not attend the 2008 Rose Bowl because of a violation of team rules.
 

Just another Saturday night at the nation's number one party school

And you thought the Oompa Loompa smackdown was the only excitement in State College last weekend?  Here's a sampler of other entries from the police blotter, all from today's Centre Daily Times:

Man cited after hitting police horse
A Virginia man struck a state police horse at 6:25 p.m. Saturday along Curtin Road near Beaver Stadium. Gary Nader, of Charlottesville, Va., was cited for disorderly conduct and released, police said.

PSU fan attacked for wearing Michigan colors
A Penn State fan dressed in a blue and yellow Halloween costume sustained a possible broken nose Saturday at 9:25 p.m. after he was assaulted by four unknown Penn State fans at Beaver Stadium, police said.  The men attacked, police said, because they thought the victim was a University of Michigan fan.

The victim was treated and released from Mount Nittany Medical Center, police said.

Women tossed from bar, cause scene

Police were called to the 100 block of South Garner Street around 10:20 p.m. Saturday after two women began causing a disturbance outside the Lion’s Den.  The women said bar staff kicked them out of the Lion’s Den because they were making out, police said.  While exiting the bar, the women began yelling for everyone waiting in line to not go inside, police said.

Man detained after running up bar tab
A man reported he was held against his will at the Mezzanine, 420 E. College Ave., at 11:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.  It was later discovered the man owed $415 in unpaid bar tabs, police said.

Officers advised bar staff to take civil action against the man, police said.

Student punched during chat with Wolverine fans
A Penn State student reported being punched in the mouth around 2:25 a.m. Sunday after starting conversation with three or four unidentified men wearing Michigan shirts in the area between Redifer Commons and Beaver Hall on campus, police said.

The student was transported by ambulance to Mount Nittany Medical Center.

Fan injured during national anthem
About midnight Sunday, a visitor reported being struck twice in the mouth by a fan who was flailing his or her arms during the national anthem at Beaver Stadium, police said.

Penn State police were unable to find a suspect.

Pedestrian struck by tow truck in State College
A 19-year-old woman was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center to treat an injured arm she suffered after being hit by a tow truck as she crossed the street at 300 West Hamilton Avenue at 3:45 a.m. Saturday.

An Oompa Loompa smackdown, right here in State College

 
From today's Centre Daily Times (thank you, Margaret):

Man dressed as Oompa Loompa smacked vehicle, police said

October 31, 2010 6:43pm EDT

A man reported that his vehicle was smacked by an unknown male dressed as an Oompa Loompa in the 400 block of East Calder Way around 10 p.m. Saturday, police said.

A fictional character from the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, an Oompa Loompa is usually portrayed as a short, orange-skinned person.

The man, police said, remains at large.