Paul Mutton in an article on Netcraft reported that The Bank of Lancaster County is currently being targeted by a phishing attack that asks to call a number in Erie, PA. With phone numbers being portable, it could be someone half way around the world but Lancaster and Erie are only separated by 350 miles so it could be someone from Erie.

Erie County employees of AFSCME Local 2666 agreed to a four year contract that will increase their pay about 10 percent. They’ll be paid for 37 1/2 hours, up from 35 hours, and receive raises of 3 percent for the first 3 years and 3.2 percent in the fourth year. Employees with masters degrees will get additional pay of 50 cents per hour in each of the first two years and 25 centers per hour in years three and four. Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio gave in on negotiations after allegations surfaced of criminal acts of misuse of county employees and resources. DiVecchio, one more than one occasion, used a county employee on county time with a county vehicle to have his home driveway plowed. He also used county employees on county time for his catering business and also to help do work at his sisters home.

Crystal Clayton was arraigned on homicide charges in the death of a 3 month old baby she was babysitting. Clayton has changed her story a number of times on what happened to the baby with the latest being that she dropped the baby while high on crack.

Erie based Provider Resources Inc was spotlighted in a Reuters story on federal contracts for medical billing. In an effort to try and control medical billing fees, contractors must be certified. In March, Provider Resources will begin working as a subcontractor to a larger service provider for the National Institute of Health.

At the end of the month, Continental Airlines is increasing the number of flights at Erie International Airport to previous levels of 4 on the weekdays and 2 on the weekend days. They had dropped the number of flights down to 2 or 3 a day back in December.

Tired of the cold, nasty weather? Want to get away? All Community Blood Bank blood donors until the first day of spring (March 21) are entered to win what could be an all expense paid trip to a beach side resort in Mexico, or a Caribbean Cruise or maybe even a trip to Vegas.it’s up to the winner to decide. Cappabianca Travel is generously sponsoring the ‘Give to Get Away’ promotion where one lucky donor will win a $2500 travel credit that they use can on one of many great get aways. All of this just by taking less than an hour to save a life. Anyone who comes in and tries to donate will automatically be registered to win. “We all would like to Get Away,” said Dan Desrochers, director of marketing at the Community Blood Bank. “So dream of your personal escape and make it a reality just by doing some good here in our community.” There is still a serious blood shortage in the region and the CBB hopes to end it with this fabulous promotion. All blood types are well below safe levels. Complete rules and more information are available at the CBB Web site. The Community Blood Bank is the exclusive supplier of blood products to all the hospitals in Erie, McKean, Warren and Elk Counties and is the preferred provider to all the hospitals in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany Counties in New York. Only blood donated with Community Blood Bank will help patients at these local hospitals.

Following up on last fall’s effort to explain the state’s deer management program and meet interested residents closer to home, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is, once again, hitting the road in coming weeks to hold six open houses across the state. The open house in the Northwest Region will be held April 5, from 10 am to 5 pm, at McLane Church, 12511 Edinboro Rd, Edinboro, Erie County. Directions: Located in Edinboro on Route 99 (Edinboro Rd).
Trivia – The largest non-typical (asymmetrical antlers) buck in Pennsylvania history had a rack measured at 238 6/8 inches and was killed in 1942 in Erie County by Edward Dodge.

Please join the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission at the first (annual) Great Lakes Industrial Technology Summit on February 12 and 13, 2008 at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center. This event is formerly known as the EXPO Erie, but with a freshened perspective and focus on technology in advanced manufacturing. Stop by and visit the Northwest Commission staff at booth 138 and receive a complimentary promotional gift item.

A new partnership creates the opportunity for students at a Buffalo, NY, liberal arts college to also pursue a mechanical engineering degree from Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Penn State Behrend’s School of Engineering has signed an articulation agreement for a 3+2 dual degree program in liberal arts and engineering with Canisius College in the Hamlin Park neighborhood of Buffalo, one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in western New York. Beginning with the current semester, 3+2 students can enroll at Canisius College to study liberal arts, science and pre-engineering; after three years they transfer to Penn State Behrend to complete two years of its engineering curriculum. When all requirements are met, 3+2 students are awarded two degrees: A BS in physics from Canisius and a BS in mechanical engineering from Penn State Behrend. Penn State Behrend’s mechanical engineering degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). The program places special emphasis on the design skills needed to make mechanical engineers effective problem solvers.

Alex DelPiombo of St Mary Catholic Central in Monroe, MI verbally committed to Gannon University. DelPiombo was a Michigan Miss Volleyball finalist as a senior.

After leading the Gators to a 65-48 conference win at Wooster on Wednesday, Allegheny College sophomore guard Brittany Bell (Greensburg, Pa/Hempfield) was named the North Coast Athletic Conference women’s basketball player of the week, announced by the NCAC on Monday.

The Mercyhurst women’s hockey team, idle since a 7-0 blanking against Quinnipiac on Jan 26, dropped one spot to seventh in the most recent Division I USCHO.com poll.

Broadway Today, an evening of songs and composers currently lighting up the Great White Way, takes place at the Erie Playhouse at 7:30 pm today, Tuesday Feb 5. Tickets are $12.

The Erie Playhouse production of Crowns will be performed Wed Feb 6 at 7:30 pm, Thu Feb 7 at 7:30 pm, Fri Feb 8 at 7:30 pm, Sat Feb 9 at 7:30 pm and Sun Feb 10 at 2 pm.

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.

All An Act Productions presents Ray Cooney’s classic farce “Funny Money” at their space in Columbus Square on Friday February 8 and running , Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm through March 1 (no show Friday Feb 15) and Sundays at 4 pm February 10, 17, and March 2.

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 Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail Wine and Chocolate Weekend will take place 10 am to 5 pm, Feb 9-10. Tickets, which can be purchased online or by phone, are $21 a person. None will be sold after Friday Feb 8. If you are unable to get tickets to the event, you can still visit the wineries for wine tastings, but you won’t get to sample the goodies and get the recipe cards.

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 41-year-old Expo Erie is set to become a technology summit of industrial leaders. The Technology Council of Northwest PA has partnered with the Erie Engineering Societies Council (EESC) to host the first Great Lakes Industrial Technology Summit on February 12 and 13 of 2008. The two day summit will feature regional products, address workforce development, innovation, technology and other competitive advantages for industry in the PA Great Lakes Region. Technology Council CEO, Perry Wood said, “The direction change in the Summit is part of the Council’s strategy to create an Advanced Manufacturing Network in northwest PA.” The Summit’s theme is Global Competitiveness and will host a series of speakers and special presentations on the topic. The term “advanced manufacturing” connotes a network of industry that embraces emerging technologies in order to tackle new markets, create efficiencies and innovate product lines.

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.

On January 28, 2008, asteroid 2007 TU24 came within 300,000 miles of Earth–a safe distance, but one that reminds us that ours is not the only chunk of rock hurtling around the sun. Nearly 1,000 potentially hazardous asteroids, or PHAs, orbit the sun in the vicinity of Earth; one, Apophis, will be the subject of the next Open House Night in Astronomy at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Darren Williams, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at the college, will present the one-hour program “Asteroid Apophis: Will it Hit the Earth?” at 7:30 pm on Thursday, February 21, in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building. His FREE lecture is intended for a non-technical audience and suitable for children at least 8 years of age; astronomical observing at the college’s Mehalso Observatory will follow, weather permitting.

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.

On Friday, February 22, the Penn State Behrend RFID Center of Excellence and the RFID Project of the NWPA Technology Industry Partnership will host Eric Domski for a talk on Auto ID Technologies with SAP. Eric is the Auto ID Solution Director for SAP Labs. Eric will speak from 10-11am at the Research and Economic Development Center, Room 180 on the campus of Penn State Behrend in the new Black School of Business Auditorium. Although the talk with be centered around SAP, the concepts will also apply to other ERP and enterprise applications and will be a great source for solution ideas to anyone using, or considering use of AutoID. Eric will be available for questions after the talk. An early lunch is planned, so attendees must RSVP email Brian Zentis or call him at (814) 898-6704. This event counts as participation in the Technology Industry Partnership of Northwest PA, a partnership of the Technology Council, eBizITPA, Ben Franklin Partners CNP and Penn State Behrend’s RFID Center of Excellence. Why is that important? Participation allows your business access to grant dollars to offset training costs. The training dollars come from the PA Department of Labor and Industry in conjunction with the Workforce Investment Board of Northwest PA.

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.

There will a fund raiser for Marine Sergeant Art Fuller on Saturday Feb 23 from 6 pm to 1 am at the North East Vet’s Club at 28 Vine Street in North East, PA. SGT Fuller suffered a stroke and is unable to return to work. The cost is $6 at the door which will cover food (chili, hot dogs and macaroni salad) from 6-9 pm. There will be a Chinese auction and cash bar available and the band Black Diamond will be playing from 9 pm – 1 am. SGT Fuller, an Iraq veteran, is from Corry Pa.

Documentary filmmaker Christopher Quinn and John Bul Dau, one of three Lost Boys of Sudan profiled in Quinn’s prize-winning feature film God Grew Tired of Us, will visit Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, in February as part of the college’s Speaker Series. Quinn and Dau will speak at 7:30 pm on Thursday, February 28, in the Reed Union Building’s McGarvey Commons. Additionally, the film God Grew Tired of Us will be shown at 7 pm on Wednesday, February 27, in 117 Reed Union Building, and at noon on Friday, February 29, in the Samuel P “Pat” Black III Conference Center in the college’s Research and Economic Development Center. Admission to all three events is FREE and open to the public.

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.

The Manufacturers’ Association and Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority annual Roar on the Shore motorcycle rally will be held July 17-20, 2008. While downtown Erie serves as the hub of the rally, related events take place throughout the city and region. Most notably, two outdoor concerts featuring major artists will be held Friday and Saturday, July 18 and 19, at Liberty Park along Presque Isle Bay.