Latest news with #DeFrancesco
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PSU Altoona rail program in talks with Railroaders Museum to aid industry
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — Penn State Altoona and the Pennsylvania Railroaders Museum are in preliminary talks to move the college's Rail Transportation Engineering program into the museum to help rural areas. 'There's no point in us working independently towards the same goal,' Dr. Ron Darbeau, chancellor of Penn State Altoona, said. 'The idea was for us to collaborate and do this.' 'Being able to bring the program here to the museum means a lot, because we won't just be a museum of artifacts and history, but it'll be a living, breathing, organic, site for people to come to and learn more about the rail industry,' museum executive director Joe DeFrancesco said. New Educational and Career Space announced in Cambria County The program, based out of the Penn Building in downtown Altoona, has seen growth in enrollment over the years. It is the only rail program with ABET accreditation, meaning it meets quality standards concerning its field of work. Residing in the state that houses the largest number of short-line rails in the country, the importance of railroads and their workers is crucial to the area, especially in Railroad City. 'We also want to be in the workforce development space, where maybe they are sending some of their employees to us for upscaling,' Darbeau added. 'We want to be an opportunity for Pennsylvanians who may be looking to change careers, to get into the rail industry.' The talks provide an opportunity for both sides to find the benefits of working together. Not only do Penn State officials see a chance to grow the students' education, but the museum can aid visitors with a look into the future of the industry. 'The students will be able to learn about railroading's past while learning about the current day railroading,' DeFrancesco said. 'The visitors coming to the museum will probably be able to sit in or view some of the laboratory exercises.' Last week, Darbeau testified in front of the Senate Transportation Committee at the museum's classroom to talk about the opportunities that lie ahead with the program. In doing so, he urged lawmakers to set aside resources to help the program and the area it is stationed in. 'I wanted them to hear how well received it is by employers, how successful our graduates are, and what its growth potential still is,' Darbeau said. 'The museum will be the hub of that research that may translate into improvements to existing infrastructure or possibly developing new infrastructure as needed for the rail industry,' DeFrancesco added. The industry is facing an exodus of workers in the Baby Boom generation and an increasingly aging infrastructure that has surpassed the century mark. The future partnership looks to benefit both parties and the area. 'It is really critical that we replace those individuals with young men and women who are wonderfully well prepared, both in terms of their mastery of knowledge and skills,' Darbeau said. 'We're hopeful that this matures into a great and wonderful partnership,' DeFrancesco added. Darbeau added that if a deal gets done, the college will move the program into the museum over the next few years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
12-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Scott McLaughlin, Devlin DeFrancesco have 'cleared the air' after Thermal argument
LONG BEACH, Calif. — Devlin DeFrancesco won't apologize for being passionate and Scott McLaughlin won't apologize for thinking he was wronged when the two had contact prior to the start of the INDYCAR race a few weeks ago at Thermal. Their argument after the race went viral. DeFrancesco wasn't going to take the blame without voicing his opinion to the Team Penske driver. Ironically, the two drivers are pitted next to each other this weekend for the Grand Prix of Long Beach. "I figured we were going to be close," McLaughlin said. "I went and saw the 30 car crew [of DeFrancesco] yesterday. They're putting their pit [area] together. I said, 'Boys, at least I know my neighbors, but at least I hope I'm not yelling and screaming here on Sunday.'" DeFrancesco said his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team works hard and has a fight in them. "It's the heat of the moment, right? And it was after a tough day and very disappointing after the pace that we had," DeFrancesco said. "This is my life. These guys, especially RLL, ... we fight every weekend going out. "So I was passionate about it. Scott and I spoke, we've cleared the air, we've moved on and we're looking forward to the rest of the season, and this weekend in Long Beach." McLaughlin also wanted to move on quickly. "I don't need to have a beef with Dev," McLaughlin said. "I don't have beef with anyone. But I'm not going to shy away from the fact that I thought it was a bonehead move, and that's just how it is. "But sometimes people like that [or] people hate that if you're up front about it. Dev, full credit [to him] that we've got on with it, and there's no hard feelings." DeFrancesco's fiery demeanor might have surprised some, but it did not surprise Graham Rahal, the veteran leader and driver of the team. "I see it every day. That dude is a fiery little guy," Rahal said. "Don't mistake the size of [him for] the size of the heart. He's an energetic dude. I certainly see both sides and that's what I told him because he reached out to me. "There wasn't a lot of room given to him, that's for sure. He obviously came in a little hot, but also the guys at the front were getting ready to go so everybody in the back is feeling the rush that you've got to go. You've got to catch up to the pack or you're going to miss the green flag." McLauhglin, a three-time Australian Supercar champion, said it was good for the sport to see that emotion. "That's what I like about INDYCAR racing or American motorsports. You shouldn't shy away from showing your displeasure, and that's a good feeling," McLaughlin said. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
Fox Sports
12-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Scott McLaughlin, Devlin DeFrancesco have 'cleared the air' after Thermal argument
LONG BEACH, Calif. — Devlin DeFrancesco won't apologize for being passionate and Scott McLaughlin won't apologize for thinking he was wronged when the two had contact prior to the start of the INDYCAR race a few weeks ago at Thermal. Their argument after the race went viral. DeFrancesco wasn't going to take the blame without voicing his opinion to the Team Penske driver. Ironically, the two drivers are pitted next to each other this weekend for the Grand Prix of Long Beach. "I figured we were going to be close," McLaughlin said. "I went and saw the 30 car crew [of DeFrancesco] yesterday. They're putting their pit [area] together. I said, 'Boys, at least I know my neighbors, but at least I hope I'm not yelling and screaming here on Sunday.'" DeFrancesco said his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team works hard and has a fight in them. "It's the heat of the moment, right? And it was after a tough day and very disappointing after the pace that we had," DeFrancesco said. "This is my life. These guys, especially RLL, ... we fight every weekend going out. "So I was passionate about it. Scott and I spoke, we've cleared the air, we've moved on and we're looking forward to the rest of the season, and this weekend in Long Beach." McLaughlin also wanted to move on quickly. "I don't need to have a beef with Dev," McLaughlin said. "I don't have beef with anyone. But I'm not going to shy away from the fact that I thought it was a bonehead move, and that's just how it is. "But sometimes people like that [or] people hate that if you're up front about it. Dev, full credit [to him] that we've got on with it, and there's no hard feelings." DeFrancesco's fiery demeanor might have surprised some, but it did not surprise Graham Rahal, the veteran leader and driver of the team. "I see it every day. That dude is a fiery little guy," Rahal said. "Don't mistake the size of [him for] the size of the heart. He's an energetic dude. I certainly see both sides and that's what I told him because he reached out to me. "There wasn't a lot of room given to him, that's for sure. He obviously came in a little hot, but also the guys at the front were getting ready to go so everybody in the back is feeling the rush that you've got to go. You've got to catch up to the pack or you're going to miss the green flag." McLauhglin, a three-time Australian Supercar champion, said it was good for the sport to see that emotion. "That's what I like about INDYCAR racing or American motorsports. You shouldn't shy away from showing your displeasure, and that's a good feeling," McLaughlin said. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Why so angry? The Scott McLaughlin-Devlin DeFrancesco confrontation explained
When Scott McLaughlin got on his scooter after the race at Thermal, he had that look in his eye. It's a look that is recognizable in all forms of motorsports. It was the look of wanting to go talk to someone. OK, talk, might not be the most accurate description. Confront? Rip? Accost? McLaughlin made a bee-line for the pit stall of Devlin DeFrancesco. And, well, you might have seen the video of part of their exchange (hey, I can't run as fast as McLaughlin's scooter). So what made these drivers so mad? The source of the beef came in the final turns of the final pace lap before the race ever took the green flag. The two drivers were side by side and made contact, sending McLaughlin spinning. DeFrancesco was assessed a drive-through penalty for avoidable contact. McLaughlin's day went from bad to worse with a hybrid overheating issue. He finished last in the 27-car field. DeFrancesco was one lap down in 20th. Obviously, the INDYCAR stewards felt DeFrancesco was in the wrong, as they penalized him. DeFrancesco obviously, from what he told McLaughlin, felt he wasn't given enough room. There's reason for both drivers to be angry. McLaughlin, in his fifth season, expects to be challenging for wins for Team Penske (he has seven in his career). The fact that he was starting 25th — next to DeFrancesco in 26th — had to be eating him up. DeFrancesco is a driver who competed in INDYCAR in 2023 and 2024 but then was without a ride last year. He has returned this year to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He brings funding with him, and that already means he will be fighting for respect. The fact that he has never had a top-10 finish and averages a finish of 19th just increases that. So to be accused of a dumb move is something that he isn't going to take lightly. DeFrancesco does have a fan base from his partnership with Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency with a popular Shiba Inu dog characterization. He has committed to taking his $100,000 salary in the cryptocurrency, according to a recent news release. And he is having fans vote on which Dogecoin paint scheme he should use for the Indy 500, which is part of a charity fund-raising effort. That effort supports Riley Children's Health. This cause is close to DeFrancesco, as he was born 15 weeks premature and weighed one pound at birth. McLaughlin enjoys worldwide popularity, as the New Zealand native won three Australian Supercar championships before coming to INDYCAR to drive for Penske. He has had fun with this exchange on social media, as Ryan Blaney — his Penske teammate on the NASCAR side — even posted about it. If they can laugh about it, is it over? DeFrancesco tried to calm it down soon after the video went viral. Appearing on driver Conor Daly's "Speed Street" podcast released Wednesday morning, McLaughlin confirmed he texted DeFrancesco and told him when he was more calm, to come over and they would talk it out. He said they did and that he likes DeFrancesco and that they were actually joking with each other prior to the race Sunday. There's no reason to doubt McLaughlin. And he needs it to be over because, frankly, he should be running better than DeFrancesco. McLaughlin is the more accomplished driver and sits in a car fielded by one of the best teams in the series. And DeFrancesco needs to avoid the avoidable contact penalties. That will be the best way to answer any critics. But will it happen? Time will tell. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge dismisses PENNCREST petition challenge; other challenges withdrawn
Challenges to the nomination petitions of two candidates for PENNCREST School Board are gone. At a hearing Wednesday, Crawford County President Judge John Spataro denied setting aside the Republican Party nomination petition of Timothy J. Brown of Cambridge Springs. In the wake of Spataro's ruling, separate challenges that had been filed against the Democratic Party nomination petitions of both Brown and Danielle Schmidt of Cussewago Township were withdrawn late Wednesday afternoon. Objections to the nomination petitions of Brown and Schmidt had been filed with the court earlier this week. Brown and Schmidt cross-filed for both the Republican and Democratic nominations in the May 20 primary election and faced challenges from registered voters of both parties. Luigi DeFrancesco, a registered Republican who resides in Richmond Township, had challenged Brown's and Schmidt's Republican nomination petitions. DeFrancesco is a former PENNCREST School Board member and board officer. Dan Healy, a registered Democrat who lives in Rockdale Township, challenged the Democratic Party nomination petitions of Brown and Schmidt. The challenges to the petitions cited failing to file accurate statements of financial interests by March 11 at PENNCREST School District offices and at the Crawford County Voter Services Office. In addition to alleged errors in not properly filling out the statement of financial interests, the challenges cited each candidate's affidavit not being notarized as required by law. At Wednesday's hearing, Brown, who represented himself, admitted to the court that he had made multiple errors on the financial interests statement by not filing it out fully as required. DeFrancesco, who represented himself, argued the petition should be set aside due to the multiple errors. However, Spataro dismissed DeFrancesco's objection due to rulings by Pennsylvania Commonwealth and Supreme courts. Pennsylvania's higher courts have ruled that both Pennsylvania's Ethics Act and Election Code need to be considered together to give both full financial disclosure and protect voter choice. The higher courts rulings have allowed candidates to file amended financial statements in a timely manner as long as they had been filed a report by the deadline, Spataro said. Though there were errors, Brown had filed a financial statement by the required deadline, the judge said. 'There is no evidence of bad faith by Brown. That is the law,' Spataro said in dismissing DeFrancesco's petition. Spataro gave Brown five days to file an amended statement. On Tuesday, the judge had dismissed DeFrancesco's objection to Schmidt's petition citing a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruling from 2023. The ruling upheld Pennsylvania courts' longstanding policy that the Election Code must be liberally construed to protect a candidate's right to run for office and the voters' right to elect the candidate of their choice. DeFrancesco told The Meadville Tribune following the hearing that he may try to appeal the rulings. However, Healy, who was in the courtroom gallery, filed to withdraw his objections to the Democratic Party petitions of Brown and Schmidt following Wednesday's ruling by Spataro. Hearings on his objections were to be heard today by the judge. Asked why he was withdrawing his objections, Healy declined on-the-record comments with a Tribune reporter. 'I don't want to be part of your story,' he said.
