Gabriel Green, of State College, speaks during the 3/20 Coalitionâs protest outside the Centre County Courthouse on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 in Bellefonte, Pa., calling for the resignation of Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna, following dissatisfaction with Cantornaâs investigations of Osaze Osagieâs shooting death by State College police in 2019. Cantorna did not charge the officers involved in the shooting after his office conducted investigations.
Lily LaRegina
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State College Mayor Ron Filippelli joined THON 2021’s livestream Friday night to officially rename the borough the “City of THON” until THON ends Sunday afternoon.
“‘For The Kids’ are three words that motivate and inspire more than 16,500 students across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to give of their time and selfless dedication in the pursuit of finding a cure for childhood cancer,” Filippelli said.
Filippelli’s proclamation is the latest in a string of renames that began back in 2015.
Borough Manager Tom Fountaine introduced Filippelli and shared his family’s experience fighting pediatric cancer. His oldest son, Tommy, survived childhood cancer, graduated from the Penn State College of Medicine, and is now a pediatric oncologist.
State College Borough Council President Jesse Barlow requested that the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office investigate new allegations made in a civil lawsuit over the fatal police shooting of Osaze Osagie in 2019, but was informed they could not take on the case.
On Feb. 1, Barlow contacted the AG’s office with a request to specifically investigate allegations about now-retired borough police Capt. Chris Fishel. The Osagie family lawsuit alleges that Fishel, who later chaired an internal department review that cleared the officers involved, had been aware of a witness report to the department about alleged heavy drinking and domestic violence by the officer who shot and killed Osagie.