Erie International Airport Executive Director Kelly Fredericks has resigned. Fredericks offered to resign for a $100,000 buyout of his contract. He signed a 5 year contract in June of 2006. He was being paid about $164,000 a year. Chris Rodgers, Director of Strategic Development at the airport, will take over as interim director. He will be paid about $86,000.

There seems to be a lot more support for Erie Renewable Energy’s Port Erie Power tire to energy plant than news reports would have you believe. Just because a few people voice loud opposition doesn’t mean the Erie area doesn’t want it. The results of a poll on YourErie.com were surprising to me and I hope reporters that are covering the story. The poll question was “Have the public hearings on Erie’s proposed tire-to-energy plant helped to change your stance on the subject?” A majority of 51.2 percent of over 1,000 respondents said “Yes, I now approve of the plant.”
I can’t help but think the heavy handed tactics of KEEP are backfiring on them as support for the plant seems to be growing. Maybe support is coming from construction workers that will be employed building the $250 million facility. Maybe it’s consumers and business owners looking at their utility bills. Maybe it’s people living in the Erie area concerned that future investment will be hurt if the plant is rejected. Where ever it’s coming from, there is wide support.

Yes, you still have to pay your Erie tax bill even though they misspelled Erie on it in the web site address. Grab your bill and look. And laugh.

Zurn, one of the largest manufacturers of commercial plumbing products in the nation, is introducing a “green” urinal system that uses only one pint of water per flush. By comparison, most urinals use one gallon or more per flush. The Zurn EcoVantage Pint Urinal System is a certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) product. The EcoVantage Pint Urinal is an excellent alternative to waterless urinals. Its extremely low water consumption represents an 85 percent water savings compared to a one-gallon urinal. This overall savings translates into an average of up to 30,000 gallons per urinal per year, which makes this product ideal for both retrofits of existing facilities and new construction. Zurn Engineered Water Solutions, based in Erie, Pa, offers a century-old tradition of high-quality products and customer service. Founded in 1900, Zurn was created initially to manufacture a patented backwater valve. The company has worked throughout the past century to expand its product offering. Today, Zurn manufactures the largest breadth of engineered water solutions in the industry, including a wide-spectrum of green plumbing products.

Retail Ventures has sold a majority stake in their Value City Department Stores chain to VCHI Acquisition, a new entity formed from private equity firms VCDS Acquisition Holdings LLC, Emerald Capital Management LLC and Crystal Value LLC. There is a Value City Department Store in Meadville and two in Erie.

I mentioned yesterday that Accuride Wheels installed new aluminum truck wheels presses in their Erie plant. Jesse of Erie, owner/operator of a tri-axle dump truck business, said he tried to find Accuride wheels so he could buy local and could not find anyone that sells them. WTF.

The Galaxy Gallery, 1136 East Lake Rd in Erie, is looking for artists interested in the co-op part of the gallery. Contact Heidi if you’re interested. The Gallery is currently hosting an art show with art by Heidi Blakeslee, New Young, Mark L Goodman, Robert Andrews, and Steven Pascarella through March 31.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 17 from 12:30-3:30 pm and/or 8-11 pm and get ready to “rock and bowl” with the Erie Playhouse Family at Eastway Lanes, 4110 Buffalo Road. The cost for a Family/Team (4 or 5 bowlers) for one session is $80. Individual bowlers are welcome – Adults $20 and $15 for children 12 and under. Teams registering by Feb 14 will recieve a $10 discount. The cost includes 3 games, shoes (no discount if you bring your own) and unlimited pop and pizza. A cash bar and additional food will be available. Contests and games of chance throughout each bowling session.

Congratulations to Sky Yaple, a recent Westminster grad, on joining WJET-TV in Erie. With her first name where else would she be working at the station but… the assignment desk.

Renowned forensic scientists will discuss their experiences and unveil mysteries hidden within bones during the “Forensic Forum: Real Science…Real Experts” to be held Jan 24-26 at the Mayborn Museum Complex on the Baylor University campus. On Friday, Jan 25, the Forensics Forum will feature a special lecture on forensic science and bones at 6 pm by Dr Steven A Symes, assistant professor in the anthropology and applied forensic sciences departments of the Mercyhurst Archaeological Institute at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa. The President and CEO of Baylor is Dr John M Lilley. Dr Lilley was formerly the head of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College for 21 years.

Paul A DeSantis was named CEO of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B Richmond Chaffee Nursing Home in Springville, NY. DeSantis is a graduate of Gannon University.

The Gannon men’s basketball team (16-2) obviously didn’t take its six-point loss at second-ranked Grand Valley State last Saturday too well. Unfortunately for Wayne State, the Golden Knights took out their frustration Thursday night with an unbelievable defensive performance before 714 fans at the Matthaei Complex. Vince Mosley (Boynton Beach, Fla/Dillard) scored a season-high 30 points and Gannon allowed its lowest point total on the road since 1979 en route to a convincing 65-39 victory. Tyler Stoczynski somehow played 29 minutes and actually scored 2 points with stitches in his wrapped hand.

Mercyhurst’s Brian McTear blocked Hillsdale’s game-winning 3-point attempt and then hit a game-winning free throw with no time remaining to snap a 58-58 tie and lift the Lakers to a dramatic 59-58 victory at Hillsdale Thursday evening.

The Lake Erie College men’s basketball team slipped out of first place in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) after losing to Penn State-Behrend, 58-42 Thursday night.

Wayne State scored 28 points off 23 Gannon (11-7) turnovers and posted a tight 78-76 victory in women’s basketball action Thursday night at the Matthaei Complex.

The Mercyhurst women’s basketball team could not keep up with the offensive pace of the Hillsdale Chargers and suffered a 71-37 defeat Thursday night. Mara Dreiser was the only Laker to score in double-digits with 10 points, while three Chargers had more than 18 points.

The Lake Erie College women’s basketball team won a program record fifth straight game with Thursday’s Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) win against Penn State-Behrend, 60-49.

Luca Caputi scored once and added three assists to lead the Niagara IceDogs to a 8-3 win over the Erie Otters in an Ontario Hockey League game played last night in front of 3,068 at the Gatorade Garden City Complex. rie lost for the third straight time to drop to 10-33-2-1 on the season. The Otters return to the Tullio Arena for home games Friday and Saturday. Friday it’s the Otters and the Barrie Colts at 7:30 pm. The first 2,500 fans into the game receive an Otters Stadium Cup courtesy of Arlington Lawn Care. Saturday it’s the Otters and the Sarnia Sting at 7:30 pm featuring the Brad Boyes Jersey Retirement Ceremony presented by BNY Melon Wealth Management, Taco Bell and Lake Erie Insurance. The pre-game ceremony is scheduled to get underway at 7:25 pm.

Penn State Behrend’s Krystal Kovach (Pittsburgh/Chartiers Valley) was named the ECAC Women’s Diver of the Week for the week of January 21. The standout Behrend Lions freshman was also the AMCC conference’s diver of the week, for the third time this season. Kovach had a big weekend for the blue and white. Her top performance came on Saturday, when she produced an NCAA Championships qualifying score. She is the first swimmer or diver in Behrend program history to do so.

Ashland University has named William Graham as an assistant softball coach. Graham worked as an assistant softball coach at Edinboro University from 2001-2003 and was the head baseball coach at Gannon from 1999-2001. Graham’s background also includes two stints at Penn State Behrend. From 1992-1995 he was an assistant softball coach and from 1995-1998 he was an assistant baseball coach.

The Mercyhurst Preparatory School Performing Arts Department presents Our Town Friday Jan 25 at 8 pm, Saturday Jan 26 at 8 pm and Sunday Jan 27 at 3 pm.

The 2008 Erie RV, Camping and Powersport Expo will be held through January 27 at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center. Hours: Fri and Sat 10 an to 8 pm and Sun 10 am to 5 pm. FREE admission and FREE parking.

The King Cobra Open 32nd annual Tournament, the 2008 Can Am Karate Challenge, takes place Fri Jan and Sat Jan 26 at the Avalon Hotel in downtown Erie, PA. There are nearly 700 competitors registered for the tournament. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for kids under 12.

The Erie Art Museum opens Ancient Alloy: Bronzes from the Collection in the Museum’s Ground Floor Gallery, 411 State Street on Friday, January 25. Featuring objects from the Erie Art Museum’s permanent collection of more than 6,000 objects, Ancient Alloy includes works which span four continents and 3,000 years. The largest part the exhibit, including ancient classical (Roman and Etruscan) works and a large number of medieval Indian bronzes, was received by the Erie Art Museum as a bequest of the late James D Baldwin.

eMarketing Special Interest Group (eM SIG) Project of the Technology Industry Parternship NWPA will hold their initial meeting on Thurs Jan 25 at the National City Bank Community, Room 801, State St. The eM SIG is a group of marketing professionals, practitioners, academics and others interested in the topic who come together to network and share ideas about the challenges of electronic marketing. The initial meeting of the eM SIG will address findings of a recently conducted needs assessment, curriculum plans for the eMarketing Learning Center at eBizITPA, eMarketing training grant eligibility opportunities and the launch of the eM SIG web site. Please RSVP to Nick Kosanovich to reserve your seat.

The Allegheny College community will celebrate Faith Week from Jan 25 through Feb 2 with a range of activities. In addition to events and activities planned especially for Allegheny students – including an open mic night and art expo, a Muslim-Jewish comedy duo, and special speakers and worship services – the college’s Religious Life Council designed a number of events to appeal to a broader audience. All events for this year’s celebration, which has the theme “Express Your Faith,” are FREE and open to the public. Faith Week events begin at noon on Friday, Jan 25 with a performance in the Campus Center lobby by the Christian rock band Silent Exchange, winner of the Real Music competition of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese. A lunchtime discussion at 12:15 pm on Tuesday, Jan 29 in Room 206 of the Campus Center will focus on the question “How Does Religion Embrace the Arts?” Lunch is provided for those who RSVP to the Office of Religious Life at (814) 332-2800. The Allegheny community will end Faith Week and kick off Black History Month on Saturday, Feb 2 at 3 pm with Gospel Fest, a concert in Ford Chapel. Featured choirs include the Chosen Generation Gospel Choir from Slippery Rock University, United Voices of Edinboro from Edinboro University and the Male Chorus from First Good Samaritan AME Zion Church in Erie. Gospel Fest is cosponsored by the college’s Association for the Advancement for Black Culture and the Religious Life Council. For more information about any of the events associated with Faith Week, call the college’s Office of Religious Life at (814) 332-2800.

Glass Growers Gallery at 10 East Fifth St in Erie will be hosting an exhibit called ‘Spirital Thresholds’ by Annoel Krider. Color and design blend with tradition and balance in the southwestern inspired weavings of this fiber artist who also creates mixes-media objects and sculptures to further refine her vision. There will be an artists reception on Friday Jan 25 from 6-9 pm. The exhibit will be on display Jan 25 to March 11.

Exhibition opening receptions and other gallery activities are planned for Gallery Night on Friday, Jan 25 from 7-10 pm at the Erie Art Museum, Glass Growers Gallery, Urraro Gallery, Cummings Gallery at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst College, Schuster Gallery at Gannon University, Allen Stoneware Gallery, Kuhn’s Framing and Gift Gallery, and ClaySpace. EMTA will provide FREE Bayliner trolley transportation, courtesy of the galleries, from 7-10:30 pm. Service will be provided every 45-minutes; a route map is available in advance at all participating galleries. “We’ve been organizing a Gallery Night for one year now. And with each evening, we gain attendance – particularly from new patrons – and new galleries join us. This effort continues to be tremendously successful,” said John Vanco, director of the Erie Art Museum. Galleries will also offer $50 gift certificates as incentives for patrons visiting as many galleries as they can in the evening. Gallery Night is organized by the Erie Art Museum.

The 25th annual Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Quad Games 5-mile Cross-Country Ski Race or 2.5-mile Snowshoe is now scheduled to take place Jan 27, 2008, at 1 pm at the Peek n’ Peak Upper Golf Course, in Clymer, NY.

The Department of Modern and Classical Languages at Allegheny College and the Academy Theatre in Meadville will present an international film festival on Tuesdays on Jan 29, Feb 5 and 26, and March 4 and 11. The schedule of critically acclaimed films includes: Jan 29: Jehane Noujaim’s documentary “Control Room” (USA, 2004) takes a look at the war in Iraq from the Arab perspective. Feb 5: “Paris, Je T’aime” (France/Liechtenstein, 2006), a film by Olivier Assayas and Frédéric Auburtin, is an anthology of 18 five-minute shorts by well-known directors. Feb 26: “Das Leben der Anderen,” or “The Lives of Others” (Germany, 2006), by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, tells the story of an informant for the secret police in East Germany. March 4: Jorge Gaggero’s “Cama adentro,” or “Live-In Maid” (Argentina/Spain, 2004), tells the story of a complex relationship between an upper-class woman in Buenos Aires and her longtime housekeeper. March 11: Ping He’s “Tian di ying xiong,” or “Warriors of Heaven and Earth” (China/USA, 2003), set in the Gobi Desert, is a compelling historical epic. General admission to each film is $6. The cost to senior citizens and students is $5, and Allegheny students are admitted free. All shows are at 7:30 pm at the Academy Theatre on Chestnut Street in Meadville.

Your Day In Court: An Internet Security Workshop features William Shore of the Pittsburgh FBI office. The workshop will be held Noon-3 pm on Thursday, Jan 31 at the Ambassador Hotel and Conference Center; 7792 Peach Street in Erie. After a security breach, it is often too late to back track, recreate and document the environment in which the security breach occurred. From a strategic management viewpoint, this pitfall is often fatal. In court proceedings, the lack of defendable evidence can impact the success of litigation and create liability issues for your organization. This workshop is specifically designed to explain what steps should be taken following a security breach. Click here to register. This event is sponsored by: Software Technology Concepts, eBizITPA, the FBI and the Technology Council of Northwestern Pennsylvania.

The Young Erie Professionals (yep!) Professional Leadership Development committee will host an Etiquette Dinner on Thursday, January 31 from 5:45 pm – 8:00 pm at the Colony Banquet and Catering facility, 3014 West 12th Street. Cathy Mester, senior lecturer in speech communication at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will discuss dinner etiquette and appropriate conversation. A three-course meal will be provided by the Colony Pub and Grille. Dinner choices are Prime Rib, Apricot Chicken, and Broiled Sole. The dress code is business casual. Seating is limited and advance registration is required. The charge for the presentation, meal, and gratuity is $25 for yep! members and $35 for non-members, payable by credit card, cash, or check made payable to Young Erie Professionals. Contact Phil Gallagher for additional information or to make a reservation.

The Erie Art Museum’s First Fridays program for preschool kids ages 3 to 6 is slated for Friday, Feb 1, 10-11 am at the Erie Art Museum, 411 State Street with activities inspired from the Museum’s Zoo.Logic exhibit. First Fridays is a special program for 3-6 year olds and their families. Led by Museum staff, children and adults explore the art right in the galleries with storytelling, art-making and music. Cost is $5 per child and free for families with an Erie Art Museum family membership. Participants meet at the Erie Art Museum Annex, 423 State Street. Space is limited. Please call ahead to reserve a place, (814) 459-5477.

Darkwood Consort, the world’s only touring viola and bass clarinet duo, brings an impressive repertoire spanning 10 centuries of music to its February performance at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Darkwood’s concert takes place at noon on Thursday, February 7, in the McGarvey Commons of the college’s Reed Union Building. The performance is sponsored by Music at Noon: The Logan Series and admission is FREE to the public.

The 14th annual Sarah Backstrom Memorial Women’s and Girl’s Hockey Tournament will be held in Erie February 8-10, 2008. Admission is FREE to all games. About 1,000 young ladies plus family and friends will be in town for the weekend. Hotel rooms will be hard to come by and expect delays at restaurants. Who was Sarah Backstrom? She was a feisty red headed defensewoman who gave all off her love of the game and passion to play it to the Erie Lady Lions. Sarah fought every battle to the end, with passion and determination. The Erie Lady Lions lost Sarah to Leukemia but have never lost her spirit.

The 6th annual “Spirit Against Cancer” Dance and Cheerleading Competition is scheduled for February 9 at 10 am in the Junker Center. “Spirit Against Cancer” was created in memory of Becky Hubler Decker. Her commitment to the community included serving as dance coach at Penn State Behrend, cheerleading coach at Edinboro University, she was captain of the Invaderettes dance team, and a member of the Buffalo Bills (Jills) dance team. All proceeds from this special event will benefit the American Cancer Society. For more information, please contact Assistant to the Director of Athletics, Stacy Pondo at (814) 898-6240 or by email at slp15@psu.edu.

The Association of Program Members (APM) of General Electric Transportation in Erie PA announced that it will be sponsoring the 13th Annual Winter Wishes Benefit Gala for the Foundation of Western Pennsylvania on February 16, 2008. Each year, the members of APM reach out to the community to collect donations for the silent auctions, live auctions and raffles that are held at the event. They also solicit “table sponsors” from local businesses. As a table sponsor, the business’ name appears on the centerpiece showing their support for this wonderful event as well as in any promotional materials that they put together for the function. The money raised with the auctioned items donated by local businesses will help provide funding for Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. Community support of this event is recognition of the importance of this cause are greatly appreciated. Along with your assistance, GE will be able to make an impact on the day-to-day life of children whose lives are threatened.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 17 from 12:30-3:30 pm and/or 8-11 pm and get ready to “rock and bowl” with the Erie Playhouse Family at Eastway Lanes, 4110 Buffalo Road. The cost for a Family/Team (4 or 5 bowlers) for one session is $80. Individual bowlers are welcome – Adults $20 and $15 for children 12 and under. Teams registering by Feb 14 will recieve a $10 discount. The cost includes 3 games, shoes (no discount if you bring your own) and unlimited pop and pizza. A cash bar and additional food will be available. Contests and games of chance throughout each bowling session.

The 2008 Erie Home and Garden Expo will be held February 21-24 at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center. Hours: Thursday 4-9 pm, Friday 2-9 pm, Sat 10 am – 8:30 pm and Sun 11 am to 5 pm.

The 10th annual MECA Bar Stool Open will be held on Saturday February 23, 2008 in downtown Erie, PA. Entry fee is $100 per team of 4 golfers, $25 per person. Must be 21 years of age or older to participate. Click here to for the registration form.

Want a cure for the winter blahs? Got cabin fever? Come to the Community Board Game Night at Community United Church on Saturday Feb 23. Doors open at 7 pm, Games begin at 7:30 and end at 10 PM. Admission Donation: $2. Snacks and beverages will be provided. Under 18 years old must have guardian. This is an alcohol and smoke free event. Open to the public. We will play board games for groups such as Scruples, Pictionary, etc. Want to save on the admission? Bring grocery bags of empty recyclable aluminum beverage cans. For each bag, the admission will be reduced by 25 cents.

The 2008 Erie Outdoor Sport and Travel Expo will be held February 29 – March 2 at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center. Hours: Noon-9 pm Friday, 10 am-8 pm Saturday and 10 am-5 pm Sunday.

Erie CareerLink is hosting Crystal Reports Training in both introductory and advanced sessions on March 3-6. Info and Registration form. Crystal Reports is a business intelligence application used to design and generate reports from a wide range of data sources. Several other applications, such as Microsoft Visual Studio, bundle an OEM version of Crystal Reports as a general purpose reporting tool. Crystal Reports became THE report writer when Microsoft released it with Visual Basic.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant is sponsoring a FREE one and a half day workshop March 13-14 at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie. The workshop will provide an update and overview of current ballast water policy, legislation and research as it applies to the Great Lakes. Scientists, legal experts, legislators, industry personnel and agency staff will discuss the current state of ballast water policy, pending legislation, proposed ballast water treatment methods and evaluating the current risk of introduction and spread of AIS to Great Lakes ports by foreign and domestic ships. For Registration form email Karla Kaczmarek, or Marti Martz.

As the signature event for Young Erie Professionals (yep!), the Generation-E Leadership Awards recognize young professionals who are paving the way to the future of Erie, Pennsylvania. Yep! has honored 34 individuals over the past three years who not only have chosen to live, work, and play in the Erie area, but who have made a lasting impact on our region. The 2008 winners will be recognized the evening of Friday, March 28 at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center.

The GE (NYSE: GE) 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on April 23, 2008 in Erie, Pennsylvania at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center.

There will be a Rust Belt Bloggers Summit on July 11-12 in Erie. People from Youngstown, Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and other area cities will be attendance to discuss economic development issues in the region.