There will a CelebrateErie this year. Celebrate Erie will be held the third weekend in August, 2006. Years ago this event was known as We Love Erie Days. Many people faulted the Fillipi administration for the way they ran things, but his event was a major success in every aspect. Tina Mengine and Tammy Roche did a masterful job. Size, scope and attendance grew every year. CAFE (Culture, Arts Festival and Events of Erie) organized everything and it ran like clockwork and with no cost to the taxpayers. Well, new Mayor Joe Sinnott wants to put this stamp on everything and let his administration run it. Gone are all the experienced former members of CAFE which Sinnott will replace with his own people. Jon Whaley, the mayors top aide, will run the event. I’m keeping my finger crossed for the next 7 months.

Groundhog Day 2006 is upon us. Punxsutawney Phil’s Prognostication is at approximately 7:25 am at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, PA. According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring. How often is Phil’s prediction correct? 100 percent of the time, of course! Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the 1800s. The first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob was made on February 2, 1887. Erie Blogger Toni has a sister, Carol, who is a Pennsylvania State Tropper. Carol has the distinct honor of personally guarding the Groundhog.

Lutheran Service Society of Western Pennsylvania plans to use a HUD grant to construct two buildings in Girard. The non-profit organization owns and runs four other low-income senior housing buildings, one in Stoneboro, Mercer County; Union City, Erie County; Oil City, Venango County, and Pittsburgh’s North Side, for a total of 167 apartments.

Erie Shipbuilding LLC (no website) is featured in an article on Weldingdesign.com and on the cover of the current print edition called Welding Design and Fabrication. The company is starting with ship conversions and later will build new vessels. Along with hiring 200 workers, Erie Shipbuilding is buying all their supplies locally including welding equipment from Welders’ Supply Co.

At a special meeting of the Board of Directors of Erie Indemnity Company (NASDAQ: ERIE), the management arm of Erie Insurance, the Board accepted and approved the report of the Company’s Nominating and Governance Committee, which recommends nominees for the Company’s Board of Directors. The following individuals, who are currently Directors, were renominated by the Nominating and Governance Committee: Kaj Ahlmann, John T Baily, J Ralph Borneman Jr, Wilson C Cooney, Patricia Garrison-Corbin, John R Graham, Jonathan Hirt Hagen, Susan Hirt Hagen, C Scott Hartz, F William Hirt, Claude C Lilly III, Jeffrey A Ludrof and Robert C Wilburn. Members of the Board of Directors will be elected at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for April 18, 2006, at the Company’s headquarters in Erie, Pa.

No relation. Kaiser Aluminum announced the return of Thomas P Gannon to the company as vice president of Marketing, Aerospace and Distribution Products. Gannon worked previously with Kaiser Aluminum from 1977 to 1999. Mr Gannon earned a BS in Educational Communications from Ithaca College and an MBA from Gannon University.

Jane Ellen Nichol has been named chaplain at Allegheny College, effective Feb 1. Nichol is an ordained United Methodist minister who is currently working on her dissertation at Drew University in the department of religion. She has a master of divinity from Vanderbilt University Divinity School and a bachelor of arts in English from West Virginia Wesleyan College.

eBizITPA, in partnership with the Gannon University SBDC, is offering educational programs on Internet sales and marketing strategies. The first in a series of 3 courses is Getting Started with an Online Store. It will be offered today, Feb 2 at eBizITPA at Knowledge Park, 5340 Fryling Road, Erie PA, from 9 am – 3:30 pm. Cost is $65.

Registration is now open for the second session of the Co-Motion movement and music program. The session will meet every Thursday from Feb 2 to Feb 23 in Ford Memorial Chapel on the Allegheny College campus. The baby class, which meets from 9 to 9:30 am, is for children 6-18 months old with their caregivers. The toddler class, which meets from 9:45 to 10:30 am, is for children 18-36 months old with their caregivers. The cost for the second session is $16 for babies and $20 for toddlers.

Bundle up and join the Gem City Jazz Ensemble for SUNDAY FUNDAYS at the Blasco Library Auditorium on February 5th at 3 pm. The concert is free and open to public. This won’t be your ordinary jazz concert though, bring the kids and they can learn about the origins of jazz – America’s greatest cultural achievement. It will only be an hour-long program, so you’ll be home in time for the big game! For more information, visit Gem City Bands online or phone 814-602-3338. To learn more about SUNDAY FUNDAYS at the Library, please phone 814-451-6900. SUNDAY FUNDAYS are funded by the Friends of the Library.

The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters will perform at the Erie Civic Center Tullio Arena on February 5th. Tickets run from $15 to $61.

Gannon University’s Schuster Theatre will host seven performances of “Cats” Thursday-Sunday, Feb 9-12 and Friday-Sunday, Feb 17-19. Words and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The performances are directed by Shawn Clerkin, assistant professor, theatre, and theatre director at Gannon University. Thursday-Saturday performances will begin at 8 pm, Sunday performances at 3 pm. The Feb 19 performance will be the Alex Clemente Theatre Fundraising Event, tickets for this show only are $15. Proceeds will benefit the Alex Clemente Fund for Performing and Related Arts. Schuster Theatre is located at 620 Sassafras Street in Erie PA. For more information, contact the box office at 814-871-7494, or call 814-871-5467.

“Grease” will be performed in the Mercyhurst College D’Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst College Feb 10-11 at 7:30 pm and Feb 12 at 2:30 pm. Tickets are available for advance purchase at the box office and will also be available at the door. Prices for are $12.50 for adults and $1 for Mercyhurst students. Call the Performing Arts box office at 814-824-3000 for tickets.

The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail presents a Wine and Chocolate Festival and Valentine’s celebration over the weekend of Feb 11-12. Tickets for the event are $21, must be purchased in advance, and are good for the weekend.

The Erie Engineering Societies Council (EESC) will sponsor its 42st annual Engineering Exposition, Expo Erie 2006, Feb 21-23 at the Erie Civic Center Tullio Arena on French Street between 8th and 9th Streets. This year’s show hours are Tuesday, 3 to 8 pm; Wednesday, 11 am to 8 pm and Thursday, 11 am to 4 pm. Admission is free. You do not to need to register in advance to attend.

Freshman Erin Kerner (Erie, Pa/ Mercyhurst Prep) of the women’s basketball team was named Quinnipiac University’s Women’s Athlete of the Month. Kerner has already established herself as the regular starting point guard of the women’s basketball team that won eight of their nine games in the month of January. She started off February with a bang scoring 26 points on 7-14 shooting (5-8 3-point FG), 5 rebounds and 4 assists in last nights 68-57 win over Central Connecticut State University.

Gannon head football coach Bill Elias announced the addition of four student-athletes to the Gannon program Wednesday afternoon: DL Matt Gartler (Elma, NY/ Iroquois), RB Anthony Weaver (Fairview, Pa / McDowell), LB Parris Williams (Penfield, NY/ Penfield) and LB Keith Yager (Hermitage, Pa/ Hickory).