Play with Heart—Because That’s How We Lead, Live, and Grow Together
Last Tuesday night at 3 Dots Downtown, something simple happened.
A diverse group—retirees, business owners, nonprofit leaders, Penn State students, and community champions—came together for the first-ever Connecting the Dots: A Community Conversation. We didn’t have hundreds of attendees. We didn’t need them. What we had was heart, honesty, and 27 people, ready to engage.
From Saloon to Soul: How Manny’s Became Happy Valley’s Most Surprising New Cultural Force
In a town known for football Saturdays and late-night bar crawls, something quietly revolutionary is happening on Hiester Street.
Trump’s 2025 Economic Strategy: Is a Recession Part of the Plan?
Since returning to the presidency on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump has enacted a series of aggressive economic policies including universal tariffs, a federal hiring freeze, and a rollback of clean energy initiatives. While presented as pro-growth, many economists see these moves as intentionally slowing the economy — creating a setup for deep Federal Reserve rate cuts later this year.
It’s Common Sense: Connecting the Dots for Happy Valley’s Future
There’s something stirring in Happy Valley—and it’s not just economic development or the next phase of Penn State’s growth. It’s deeper. You can feel it in the questions people are asking. About leadership. About what kind of community we want to build—for ourselves and for the generations coming up behind us.
This past Saturday strolling around Downtown State College
NCAA® Wrestling 13x National Champs: Penn State Nittany Lions and more.
Legislative Breakfast Highlights Key Issues Impacting Happy Valley
The Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC) hosted its annual Legislative Breakfast on March 20 at Toftrees Golf Resort, bringing together 150 business and community leaders for direct dialogue with elected officials. The event, part of CBICC’s Voice of Business series, focused on policy, economic development, and infrastructure priorities shaping Centre County.
Happy Valley’s Education Remix: Where Credentials Now Count More Than Degrees
Happy Valley has long been defined by the academic heft of Penn State and the natural charm of Central PA. But the region’s educational DNA is evolving. As national trust in four-year degrees wanes, a new model is gaining traction—one that prioritizes credentials, adaptability, and workforce alignment.
The Rise of the Shop Class Ninjas: CPI and the Hands-On Revolution
A quiet revolution is underway in Central Pennsylvania—and it’s happening not in lecture halls, but in welding booths, nursing labs, and HVAC classrooms. At the forefront of this transformation is the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology (CPI).
HappyValley Industry: From Newsletter to Town Hall—And You are Invited
The collapse of local journalism is not hypothetical. It is history.
Since 2005, more than 2,900 newspapers in the U.S. have shut down. Entire counties now go without a single local outlet. And even those that “went digital” often chased scale, clicks, and trends—losing their connection to the people they once served.
