Friday, October 16, 2026 (Season 2 | Episode 3)
This week on Centre Access:
This week on Centre Access: Pennsylvania environmental advocates push for stricter fracking rules as data center demand grows across the Commonwealth. Penn State announces the closure of 47 low-enrollment degree programs. A State College–area human trafficking ringleader pleads guilty. A deep dive into how Centre County weathers severe storms — and what this winter could bring. The Bellefonte teachers union reaches a tentative four-year agreement, averting a strike. And nearly $1 million in state funding heads to local parks and waterways.
🔗 LINKS TO THIS WEEK’S STORIES
- Advocates push for tougher fracking rules as data centers spur demand for natural gas, reporting by Marie Cusick, Inside Climate News & Spotlight PA [link]
- How AI data centers could affect Pennsylvania's water and electric, reporting by Asia Tabb, WITF [link]
- Penn State to close 47 low-enrollment degree programs, reporting by Bret Pallotto, Centre Daily Times [link]
- Syracuse University sunsets 93 academic programs, reporting by Samantha Olander, The Daily Orange [link]
- Higher Education curricula must adapt to the needs of today's student, analysis by Tom Mockaitis, The Hill [link]
- A looming “enrollment cliff,” reporting by Joe Marcus, NPR [link]
- Trump Administration addresses plan to cut student loans for some degrees, reporting by Joe Edwards, Newsweek [link]
- DA: Human trafficking charges to be filed in Centre County case dating back to 90s, reporting by Hayden Thompson and Tim Durkin, WTAJ [link]
- 'It's over:' Victim in Centre County child sex trafficking ring speaks out after guilty plea, reporting by Tim Durkin, WTAJ [link]
- Bellefonte district, union dispute and path forward after strike authorization, reporting by Matt DiSanto, Centre Daily Times [link]
- Centre County awarded over $1 million for several infrastructure projects, reporting by Colin Day, WTAJ [link]
📋 CENTRE DOCUMENTERS
Full notes from public meetings are at centredocumenters.org.
No public meetings covered this week. Next week: planning commission meetings at Spring, Halfmoon, College, and Benner townships, plus school board meetings at Penns Valley and State College Area School Districts.
Creators and Guests
Clara Slowinski
Clara Slowinski is a member of the Season 2 Centre Access Team. She is a reporter, episode reader, and technical producer/editor.
Maggie Alderisio
Maggie Alderisio is a member of the Season 2 Centre Access Team. She is a reporter, episode reader, and technical producer/editor. She was a guest reporter in season 1.
Olivia Warren
Olivia Warren is a member of the Season 2 Centre Access Team. She is a reporter and episode reader. In Season 1, she attended and documented local government meetings for Centre Documenters. She was a regular contributor to Centre Access, where you could hear her share highlights from the week's public meetings across the county.
Sofia Costa Miranda
Sofia Costa Miranda is a member of the Season 2 Centre Access Team. She is a reporter and episode reader. She was also a guest reporter in season 1.
What is Centre Access?
Centre Access is a weekly recap of news for Centre County's 158,000 residents. We bring you stories from newsrooms across Pennsylvania and right here in Happy Valley, including original News Lab reporting and highlights from local public meetings.
This student-run podcast is produced by the News Lab at Penn State and recorded in the Bellisario Media Center. Each episode includes a roundup from Centre Documenters, the first rural and student-run program in the national Documenters network. They attend and document public meetings across Centre County with a focus on Benner, College, Gregg, Halfmoon, Snowshoe, and Spring townships.
In season two, new episodes drop every Friday. Subscribe wherever you listen.