Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
Heedless and irresponsible behavior in the midst of a crisis continues today as Erie City Council comes together for their weekly meeting. The city is over $2 million dollars over budget with a strong possibilty of not being able to meet payroll later in the year and a state takeover of the city looming. And what will take up most of the meeting today? A pointless resolution sponsored by Councilman David Gonzalez opposing the passage of proposed House Bill 4437 which criminalizes illegal aliens. Illegal immigration is illegal. Leave it to council to endorse criminal behavior.

City Council will also take a vote on paying $7,343 to a Florida accountant for work he did for council on the 2006 budget. We’re already paying a treasurer, controller and a finace department yet they had to hire someone that knows math. And nice job by council to outsource the job to someone living 2,500 miles away.

Kalamazoo College announced the appointment of Victoria Gorrell as its new vice president for college advancement. Gorrell is currently the vice president for university relations and executive director of the Weber State University Foundation at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. Gorrell has a bachelor’s degree in English from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA and a master’s degree in journalism from Ohio State.

The Penn State-Behrend women’s water polo team has cancelled the remainder of its games this spring due to a “plethora of injuries and illnesses.”

Erie SeaWolves opening day roster:
Pitchers
Nate Bumstead, Eulogio De La Cruz, Chris Homer, Jeremy Johnson, Bobby Jones, Preston Larrison, Ian Ostland, Humberto Sanchez, Pete Sikaras, Brian Rogers, Virgil Vasquez, Danny Zell
Catchers
Mike Rabelo, Danilo Sanchez
Infielders
Juan Francia, Tony Giarratano, Kelly Hunt, Kody Kirkland, Scott Tousa
Outfielders
Kurt Airoso, Vince Blue, Brent Clevlen, Garth McKinney

The Silberman Recital Series continues with a performance by the Alexander String Quartet in the Ford Memorial Chapel tonight at 7:30 pm. The Quartet is made up of noted performers Zakarias Grafilo and Frederick Lifsitz, violins, Paul Yarbrough, viola and Sandy Wilson, cello. The event is free and open to the public.

Stand Up Against Hunger will take place on April 6 at 6 pm at JR’s Last Laugh Comedy Club. Headliner is Jimmy Carroll along with guest humorist Sheriff Bob Merski and Bill Rosenquest, JR’s Home Emcee. Two shows: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased in advance. Call JR’s at 461-0911 for reservations. Proceeds benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania.

The musical “Brigadoon” will be performed at the Erie Playhouse April 6-9, 2006. For tickets and times call (814) 454-2852.

The Roadhouse Theatre will perform “Reservoir Dogs” Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm through May 6. Reservations are a must for this show and can be made by phone at (814) 456-5656 or in person at the Theatre Box Office, 145 West 11th Street. Box Office hours are 2-6 pm Tuesday – Saturday. The Theatre accepts cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Tickets remain ever affordable at the Roadhouse, $8 regular, $10 riser and $12 VIP. Students with ID can see the show for just $5.

Geriatrician and medical ethicist Jerald Winakur, MD, will speak at Allegheny College on Thursday, April 6 at 7:30 pm in the Tillotson Room of Cochran Hall. The talk, part of the college’s Lehman Medical Ethics Lecture Series, is free and open to the public.

Creating “heart-healthy families” is just one goal of the Gannon University Villa Maria School of Nursing. Toward that end, the school of nursing on Thursday, April 6 will host its annual community health fair. The event, titled “Family Fun Day: Get Up … Get Busy,” will be held from 4-7 pm at the Community Center at the John E Horan Garden Apartments, 2110 East 10th Street in Erie. A number of activities will be offered for young children, including Dino Jump, hula-hoop contests, and other games. Food and prizes also will be offered. The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Villa Maria School of Nursing and the Housing Authority of the City of Erie.

Mercyhurst Prep has a production of “Hello, Dolly!” playing April 6, 7, 8 at 7 pm as well as matinee performances April 8, 9 at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $4 for students, $6 for seniors and $7 for adults.

The Builders Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania 46th annual Home Show takes place at the Family First Sports Park, 8155 Oliver Road, April 6-9.

On Saturday, April 8, an interactive, hands-on workshop on how to energize gifted children will take place from 9 to 11:30 am in the Audrey Hirt Academic Center at Mercyhurst College. The “Raising Champions” workshop, sponsored by the Mercyhurst education department and the Erie and Millcreek school districts, is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to (814) 824-3631.

The Erie Philharmonic will perform on Saturday April 8 at 8 pm at the Warner Theatre. This is Maestro Hugh Keelan’s farewell concert.

Three national leaders of the modern environmental movement will explore the themes of “Revolution, Sustainability, and the Eradication of Domination” at Mercyhurst College at 3 pm, Sunday, April 9. Award-winning author Derrick Jensen will lecture at the event on culture and environmental issues. He will be accompanied by John Zerzan of Eugene, Ore., and Kevin Tucker of Greensburg, Pa. Donations will be $5 at the door.

The Westminster Figure Skating Club of Erie annual spring show, “A Night on Broadway on Ice” takes place at Mercyhurst College Ice Arena in Erie PA at 7 pm on Saturday, April 8, and at 2 pm on Sunday, April 9. Professional figure skater Caryn Kadavy will perform in the show to Celtic Woman’s “Nella Fantasia.” Skaters of all ages and ability levels will take part in the two-hour show, which will feature nine solo performances by advanced skaters. Groups of skaters will perform to music from popular Broadway shows like “Mamma Mia,” “A Chorus Line,” “Oliver” and “The King and I.” The club’s three synchronized skating teams will perform as well. Advance tickets can be purchased from March 15 through April 8 at Debby’s Dance & Skate Shop, 3410 W 26th St., and The Dancewear Center, 3834 Liberty St. Tickets will also be available at the door. Tickets for adults are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Student and senior citizen tickets are $6 each and tickets for children 12 and under are $3. For more information about the show, contact show director Eileen Bidwell at 835-1478.

Jesse Cook returns Erie with his five piece band and his fiery passion of rumba flamenco guitar. Cook will be performing Saturday April 8 at 8 pm at the Mercyhurst College Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. To order tickets, call the box office at (814) 824-3000.

The Erie Highmark Quad Games Swim Race is scheduled for Sunday April 9 at 1 pm at Edinboro University’s McComb Fieldhouse Pool. Here’s the schedule: 9 am – All swimmers with last names beginning A-F, 10:30 am – All swimmers with last names beginning G-L, NOON – All swimmers with last names beginning M-R, 1:30 – All swimmers with last names beginning S-Z.

As part of its Holocaust Remembrance Film Series, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will show the documentary “Paper Clips” on Monday, April 10, at 7 pm in 117 Reed Union Building. “Paper Clips” tells the moving story about how students at Whitwell Middle School in rural Tennessee responded to what had been to them a completely unfamiliar chapter in human history, the Holocaust. The film is free and open to the public.

Acclaimed as one of America’s most imaginative and inventive writers, Robert Coover opens the Mercyhurst Literary Festival on Tuesday, April 11, when he speaks in Taylor Little Theatre at 7:30 pm. His talk is free and open to the public.

The 5th annual Northwestern Pennsylvania Autism Society of America Walk for Autism will be held on Saturday, April 22 at Presque Isle State Park. Registration begins at 10 am with the walk starting at 11 am from Beach 1. You can print out a Walk Registration Form from here.

The Erie office of Pennsylvania Career Link will hold a job and career fair, the 2006 Erie CareerFair on April 25, 2006 from 11 am to 4 pm at the Zem Zem Shrine Club, 2525 West 38th Street, Erie PA.