The View from Number Two: Promise, Peril, and Joy in the Journey
Penn State football hasn’t seen a number this small next to its name this early for a very long time.
The Nittany Lions open the 2025 season ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason poll, a first for the program, which last reached the two-spot in October of 2017, only to lose it weeks later in Columbus. In terms of the preseason, State has not been rated this highly since the ill-fated 1999 team began the year ranked third. Perhaps even more striking than the ranking itself is the number of first-place votes awarded to the Lions (23), only two shy of No. 1 Texas! This show of faith from the nation’s voters that James Franklin’s squad belongs near the top of college football is both a compliment and a burden.
Maker Faire Happy Valley: Where Curiosity Meets Community
Happy Valley has always been a place where people turn ideas into reality — where curiosity is encouraged, creativity is valued, and making things with your own hands still matters. This September, that spirit will be on full display at Maker Faire Happy Valley, a two-day celebration of invention, learning, and community connection.
At the heart of it all are Discovery Space and The Rivet, two organizations that believe opportunities to explore and create should be open to everyone.
Living Well in Happy Valley: Maybe We Already Have the Secret
I’ve been thinking a lot about wellness lately—not just personal health, but how our surroundings shape how we live. I listen to a lot of podcasts, read widely, and ask questions. One idea that keeps popping up is the concept of Blue Zones, places where people live longer, healthier lives. But before you roll your eyes (I’ve heard the skepticism too), I’m not here to sell a brand. I’m more interested in what we can learn from the core principles: move naturally, eat mostly plants, connect deeply, and live with purpose.
The Real Engine of Happy Valley Isn’t Industry—It’s Us
In Happy Valley, the sound of progress isn’t just the hum of construction cranes or the cheers from Beaver Stadium. It’s the quiet conversations on porches, the laughter echoing from local festivals, and the footsteps of newcomers exploring a place they hope to call home.
Penn State Football: 10 Storylines to Watch in 2025
We’re getting close. Penn State football opens camp today. James Franklin, his staff, and the players meet the press this Saturday for the annual Football Media Day. Other teams in the Franklin era have entered the season with lofty expectations, but not since before the 1999 season has the national hype around the Nittany Lions matched the local fervor. We all hope 2025 has a happier ending than that ill-fated ’99 campaign, which saw the team start 9-0 before dropping three games in a row. To escape the shadows of their past – both distant and recent – an experienced roster that boasts as much talent and depth as Franklin has ever assembled must play to its potential, which is good enough to win State’s first (claimed) national title since the 1980s.
Downtown State College Real Estate Is the New Oceanfront
In State College, what you hear isn’t waves crashing, it’s the roar of over 108,000 fans at Beaver Stadium, the energy of nearly 50,000 returning students, and alumni who aren’t merely visiting, they’re investing. With cranes set to rise this October, more than one-third of the 70 units at the Nittany Residence Club are already under contract, clear evidence that the market is speaking. Real dollars are validating demand for downtown living.
Our V8 Moment: The Future of Happy Valley Is Tourism — And It’s Already Here
How our students, fans, alums, retirees, outdoor lovers, and trail towns are quietly powering the most resilient economy in Pennsylvania. After four years of publishing over 600 custom stories—and diving deep into the data behind jobs, population, and regional trends—a powerful pattern emerged: Tourism isn’t just part of our economy. It is the engine.
Penn State Recent Grad takes the Road Less Traveled
Just a few months ago, I stood at the same fork in the road that every soon-to-graduate engineering student eventually faces: take the safe job with steady pay and benefits—or roll the dice on something riskier, less defined, and potentially way more fulfilling.
I chose “the gamble”. And I’ve never been happier.
Why I Love Happy Valley: Fly Fishing in Spruce Creek, Up Next
I grew up in Julian — a quiet corner of Happy Valley where the outdoors wasn’t just a backdrop, it was a way of life. I went to Bald Eagle Area High School, spent my weekends on horseback, learned to hunt in the nearby woods, and fished local streams with my family.
Now, I’m a Penn State student, heading into my senior year this fall as an Agribusiness major. But long before college classes and career plans, I knew where I belonged — outside. Whether I was in the saddle, in the woods, or waist-deep in a cold creek with a fly rod in hand, the outdoors called to me.
