The “Beach Boys” will be the headlining act at Celebrate Erie on Friday August 18. The free concert takes place at 8:30 pm on the stage at 4th and State streets.
Of course you already knew that if you’re a regular reader of this blog. I announced the band on Sunday thanks to a tip I received from a very kind person. WJET-TV said there were a large number of people that correctly guessed the Beach Boys for their “Name the Headliner” contest. Guess I had a little something to do with that.
For those of you that aren’t eligible to join AARP, you’ll be happy to hear that “The Clarks” are the headliner on Saturday August 19th.

The Erie Community Foundation recently presented checks totaling $465,606 to 19 different charities in the category of human services and community development. In addition to In addition to the $465,606 in grant money from unrestricted endowments at The Foundation, another $1,377,462 will be distributed to charities from donor advised and donor designated endowments.
Many donors, past and present, have created unrestricted endowments within The Erie Community Foundation and trust that our present board and future boards will make wise judgments and allocate available income to the most pressing current needs. “While The Erie Community Foundation is fortunate to have a high percentage of unrestricted assets, choices will always have to be made,” Batchelor said. “We are half way through the year of 2006, and to date, the Foundation has given grants valued at $861,600 from unrestricted funding, and made another 320 grants, totaling $2.4 million, from donor advised and designated funds.”
The next deadline for competitive grants is August 1st. Board of Trustees will focus on the areas of health and nonprofit capacity building. For a grant application packet, contact the Erie Community Foundation.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the Erie area fell in June to 5.1 percent. The rate in May was 5.5 percent. Pennsylvania’s Civilian Labor Force data is available in PDF by clicking here.
Erie has an estimated 406 manufacturers and 25,476 manufacturing jobs.

The Greater Erie Community Action Committee (GECAC) received a $514,112 state grant for their Head Start program.

Leanne Tingay has been named the new Executive Director of the Erie Downtown Improvement District.

The GE Evolution locomotive manufactured here in Erie has 4,400 HP, weighs 415,000 lbs and has cupholders in the cab.

Swedish singer Ane Brun in an interview with the NWITimes.com:
“There’s a lot of really bad diners. I just had a really lousy meal,” she said on a stop in Erie, Pa. “But that’s typical of the states, and that’s typical of everywhere you go when you’re on the road and you have to stop and eat on the way to a show.”
Go back to Sweden bitch.

The Erie SeaWolves beat Portland 4-2. The SeaWolves take on the Portland Sea Dogs tonight at 7:05 pm. Don’t miss out on the fun when they play Baseball Bingo with dozens of prizes that will be given away throughout the game

Josh Sharpless was called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He threw one scoreless inning last night against the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park in his major league debut. Sharpless was the Pirates’ 24th-round draft pick in 2003 from Allegheny College.

Gannon University sophomore Bobby Scalise of Corry PA beat Allegheny College golfer Mike Wolfe by one stroke at the Meadville Country Club to win the fifth stop of the Heritage Tour. The Heritage Golf Tour is a series of Summer golf tournaments for college golfers in the Northwest PA area.

Kendra Plackemeier (San Diego, CA/Fallbrook) is an incoming women’s water polo recruit at Gannon University. Her brother, Ryan Plackemeier, was a 7th round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks. He averaged 47.2 yards as a senior at Wake Forest.

Brent Clevlen was hitting .224 for the Erie SeaWolves when he was called up to the Tigers. He’s looking like a future hall-of-famer. He went 3-5 last night with 2 long home runs to center field. He’s hitting .625 for Detroit.

Every Wednesday is free admission to all fourErie Art Museum galleries from 11 am to 5 pm.

The weeks downtown Erie block party takes place Thursday Aug 3 at 7 pm on the 1100 block of State Street in front of the Plymouth Tavern. The Blues Beaters and the Earthquakers performs. The event is FREE. Food and beverages will be available for sale.

Mambo will perform a free concert at 7 pm in the Patricia McCain Amphitheater at the Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park on Thursday August 3 on Arts at the Arboretum night.

Holy cow was there a large crowd for last weeks Guelcher Film Series at the Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park, aka Free Movies in the Park. Movies will begin at 9 pm on Fridays. Stormy Weather (1943) will be shown August 4. Here’s the rest of the schedule: August 11, 2006 Waking Ned Devine (1998); August 18, 2006 CelebrateErie Week, That Thing You Do (1996); August 25, 2006 Triplets of Belleville (2003); September 1, 2006 Half Way to Saint Patrick’s Day, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).

Dan Rice Days takes place Aug 4 – 5 in Girard PA. After decades of sponsoring fireworks in Erie and in North East, Mercyhurst College will light up the night sky for the second year in a row in western Erie County as it partners with the annual Dan Rice Days celebration. On Saturday, Aug 5, at 10 pm, Zambelli Internationale will launch fireworks from the former Divine Word Seminary property off Route 20 in Girard, which Mercyhurst purchased last year for the launch of its third campus, Mercyhurst West. This year’s fireworks are planned to celebrate the inauguration of Dr Thomas J Gamble as Mercyhurst’s 11th president and to mark the opening of classes at Mercyhurst West on August 30. Classes will be held at a temporary site, the former Faith Lutheran Church at 824 Main Street East in Girard, as the college prepares to develop its new campus on Route 20.

The 14th annual Erie Art Museum Blues and Jazz Festival takes place at Frontier Park Saturday and Sunday, August 5 and 6, with an exceptional lineup of national and regional acts. The Festival is free, and takes place rain or shine.

The St Paul’s Annual Italian Festival takes place August 11-13 at the parish located at 1617 Walnut St in Erie.

Scooters is hosting the 1st annual Motorcycles 4 Meals poker run to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of NW PA on August 12, 2006. Registration starts at 9 am at the Food Bank, 1703 Ash Street with the first bike leaving at Noon. There will be FREE food, FREE music, Chinese auction and a 50/50 raffle at Scooters (last stop). First place winner gets $200, 2nd place $100 and 3rd place $50. For more information visit the link above or call Michele King at 459-3663.

The Erie PA Sport Fishing Association is hosting their 1st Walleye and Steelhead Pro-Am Team Tournament on August 12 and 13 from the port of Erie. There will be $20,000.00 worth of cash and prizes given out between the professional and amateur division.

Celebrate Erie takes place Aug 18-20 in downtown Erie. The Clarks, Seven Mary Three, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Povertyneck Hillbillies and the Beach Boys are a few of the musical acts. Theis event was formerly called ‘We Love Erie Days.’