The Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority announced that they’ve been contacted by the US Coast Guard about possibly locating a training facility in Erie. Erie is one of a number of locations considered. The facility would be a designated Center of Excellence (COE) for ship inspections. It would mean about 50 personnel stationed in Erie year round including instructors and students.
While the Port Authority works on this they should also see that Erie is designated a Coast Guard City. Making Coast Guard men and women and their families feel at home in their home away from home is an invaluable contribution to morale and service excellence. To date, eight cities have been designated Coast Guard Cities.

Sara’s Restaurant, at the entrance to Presque Isle State Park, has been packed. It hit 79 degrees in Erie. I heard someone say that it was the best April 25th in Erie EVER.

Road Radio USA, an innovative, multi-media program geared toward preventing underage drinking and the other destructive behaviors, is coming to a school near you. At Edgar Snyder and Associates, they see first-hand the devastation that underage drinking can cause. That’s why their law firm is sponsoring this interactive one-hour assembly to reach middle school students in the communities they serve.
What begins as a fun presentation ends with every eye riveted on the stage as a powerful message comes across loud and clear. Jim Mothersbaugh, the show’s emcee, is someone who knows about making bad choices. As a high school senior, he and three friends were involved in a drinking and driving accident that killed one friend and left him to deal with the lifelong ramifications of a head injury.
Says Attorney Edgar Snyder: “If this program prevents just one young person from abusing alcohol, it’s worth it.” Visit their website for more information on Road Radio USA. Upcoming Road Radio dates and locations:
Corry Middle School, 534 Pleasant St, Corry Monday, May 5; 1:40 pm; Sarah Reed Children’s Center, 1020 East 10th St, Erie Tuesday, May 6; 12:45 pm; Conneaut Valley, 22154 State Route 18, Conneautville Wednesday, May 7; 1:30 pm; Linesville High School, 302 West School Dr., Linesville Thursday, May 8; 1:30 pm; and Roosevelt Middle School, 2501 Plum St., Erie Friday, May 9; 8:30 am and; 9:45 am.

Port Erie Sports now has a web site. The company rents boats, jet skis, canoes, kayaks, bikes, and fishing supplies. Port Erie Sports is located at the Chestnut Street Boathouse, 402 West Bayfront Parkway. The company is a great addition to the bayfront and has been busy since they opened.

Erie, Pa-based Christian metalcore band War of Ages performed on March 31 at The Boardwalk in Orangevale, California. Video clip.

Mary Jo Laupp, a happily married mother of four and teacher at Erie First Christian Academy, recently began to blog on Musical Theater and Other Passions.

The Erie SeaWolves used a five-run eighth inning, aided by five walks to pull away late and grab a 10-4 win over the Altoona Curve Friday night at Jerry Uht Park in Erie. The SeaWolves are now back to a game over .500 at 11-10. The SeaWolves and Curve continue their four-game series on Saturday afternoon at Jerry Uht Park…1:05 First Pitch. RHP Josh Rainwater (2-1, 2.81 ERA) takes the mound for the ‘Wolves against LHP Kyle Bloom (0-2, 10.13 ERA). Join the SeaWolves as they celebrate the land down under on Australia Day. SeaWolves Boomerang Giveaway for the first 500 fans sponsored by Giant Eagle and get a FREE ticket to the game just by visiting Giant Eagle.

The Erie RiverRats of the AIFA broke open a close game with 16 unanswered points in the last three minutes of the first half, with the help of its opportunistic defense, to defeat the Baltimore Mariners at the Tullio Arena in Erie by the score of 55-40. With the victory, Erie improved its record to 4-2.

The Erie Illusion Women’s football team travel to Canton, MI to play the Tree Town Spitfire this afternoon. The Illusion play their first four games on the road with the first home game on May 31.

The Gannon softball team was unable to hold leads in both games and was swept by Saginaw Valley State in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader Friday afternoon at Gannon University Field. The Cardinals posted the sweep by scores of 5-2 and 3-2 in nine innings.

Edinboro hosted third-ranked Lock Haven in a PSAC West softball doubleheader. The Lady Eagles picked up two wins, 3-0 and 9-1. Edinboro falls to 16-18, 8-10 PSAC West.

Philipsburg-Osceola senior heavyweight Mike Horton has committed to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania to continue his academic and wrestling careers.

The Northwestern Pennsylvania Autism Society of America 7th Annual Walk for Autism will be held Saturday, April 26 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 2008 Walk Registration Form here.

Are you a stargazer? Learn about the lifecycles of stars at the Erie Planetarium show “The Stargazer” today April 12 at 1:30 pm. Follow a young boy as he becomes a professional astronomer. Appropriate for ages 8 and above. Then today at 3 pm “Why Coyote Howls: A Star Story” will be shown. This Sky Tellers program reveals a Chickasaw story about how constellations came to be. Appropriate for ages 5 and up. Cost for each show is $4 Adults, $3 Seniors, $2 Children, and $10 Family (2 Adults and up to 4 Children).

The Erie Philharmonic presents “Beethoven Lives Upstairs” on Saturday April 26 at 4 pm. This is a program designed to introduce children to the life and music of Ludwig van Beethoven. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for kids.

You’re invited to a night of fun and fellowship at Community Board Game Night on Saturday, April 26 at the Community United Church, 1011 West 38th Street. At this event, you can play Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, or Scruples (just to name a few). It always is a great night of laughter and good-natured game playing. Doors open at 7 PM, Games begin at 7:30 PM and run until 10 PM. Admission donation is $2. Youth under 18 must have a guardian.

The Erie Playhouse presents Shakespeare in Hollywood, April 24-May 4. Magic and mayhem abound in this hilarious comedic ramp as Shakespeare’s most famous fairies magically materialize on the 1930’s Hollywood set of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

All An Act Productions presents Edward Albee’s ” Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” through April 26. Adults tickets are $8 with students and seniors at $5. Show times are at 7:30. This show contains mature language and situations that some may find offensive. It carries an “R” rating.

The McDowell Center for Performing Arts will present Frank Loesser’s musical comedy Guys and Dolls April 26 at 7:30 PM and April 27 at 2 PM in the MIHS Little Theatre, 3320 Caughey Road in Erie. Tickets for Guys and Dolls will be sold at the door beginning 45 minutes prior to each performance. For additional information, please contact Michael Malthaner at (814) 836-6925.

The Erie Art Museum premiers its 85th Annual Spring Show on Saturday, April 26 with a Museum members opening preview and reception for the artists from 7-9:30 pm in the Museum’s Main Gallery, 411 State Street. This year’s entries included 749 works from 352 artists. Spring Show juror David Hickey accepted 80 works from 67 artists to be exhibited in the Erie Art Museum’s 85th Annual Spring Show open from April 26-June 22, 2008.

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will host the 36th annual Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference on Saturday, April 26. The all-day event will be held in the college’s Research and Economic Development Center. Registration for the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference is open to the public; for details visit the conference link or phone Victoria Kazmerski, Penn State Behrend associate professor of psychology, at (814) 898-6246.

The Cat Nation Fanciers 19th Annual All-Breed Cat Show will be held April 26-27 at the John M Cochran (JMC) Ice Arena, 423 West 38th St in Erie.

Students from the Mercyhurst North East Dance Institute and a group of Mercyhurst musicians will combine their talents in a performance on Sunday, April 27, at 2 pm in St. Mary’s Chapel on the Mercyhurst North East campus, 16 W Division St., North East. The event is free and open to the public. Call (814) 725-6277 for more information.

The Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, US Commercial Service and the Gannon University SBDC are sponsoring a seminar, “Exporting: First Steps to Success“, on Tuesday, April 29 at the Bessemer Corporate Conference Training Center, 764 Bessemer St, in Meadville. Cost is $40.

Gannon University will host a concert headlined by OneRepublic and with special guest Fabolous on Tuesday, April 29. Additional acts include Tim Blane and Romantic Era. The concert will be held at Gannon University Field, West Fifth and Sassafras. Doors will open at 6 pm and Blane will open the show at 7 pm. Tickets are $10 plus applicable service fees and can be purchased at GannonTickets.com. For more information, call (814) 871-7659 or (814) 871-7766.

On April 29, three well respected local Business Leaders are pooling their knowledge and experience in order to help their fellow Professionals and Business Owners. They have put together a high impact conference for The Ultimate Executive. The three presenters and creators of The Ultimate Executive are, Tom Kennedy (Business Leader and Real Estate Developer), Steve Rosen (President of Domino Effect, Inc), and Tom Benson (Training Director, JL Nick Associates). The cost of admission is $69 before March 31 and $79 after April 1. Group rates are also available, call for details. The conference will be held at the Bel-Aire Clarion Hotel in Erie, PA from 8 am till noon. A continental breakfast is included.

Dr Charisse Nixon will present “Navigating the Turbulent Waters of Adolescence” on April 30 at 7 pm at the Villa Lecture Hall on Villa Maria Elementary School’s campus. The event, hosted by The Ophelia Project, is free and open to the public. “Navigating the Turbulent Waters of Adolescence” will provide those involved in the lives of adolescents insight into the development challenges they are facing. Nixon will also address what adolescents need during this time, whether their outbursts are normal and more. Dr. Nixon is an assistant professor of psychology at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. To RSVP, e-mail or call 456-5437. Villa Lecture Hall on Villa Maria Elementary School’s campus is located at 2551 8th Street, Erie, PA 16505. United Way of Erie County, Healthy Youth Development and Villa Maria Elementary School are supporters for this event. The Ophelia Project is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Erie, Pa. Recognized as a leader in assessing social conditions and advocating healthy, safe relationships, the organization partners with educational, civic and community leaders to educate and empower kids and adults across North America.

The Moving Wall, the half-size replica of the Washington DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial that has been touring the country for more than twenty years, will be on display in Edinboro, PA May 1-5.

A Gannon University professor on Thursday, May 1, will host a discussion on the individual psychology of Alfred Adler. Ken McCurdy, PhD, associate professor, Gannon University community counseling program, will discuss “The Nuts and Bolts of Adlerian Clinical Supervision.” The discussion will be held from 8-10 pm in the Dean’s office on the first floor of Gannon’s Palumbo Academic Center, 824 Peach Street. The event will serve as the monthly TAPTalks colloquium hosted by Gannon University. Gannon’s Community Counseling program, the Gamma Upsilon Chi chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, and the Lake Erie Adlerian Institute are sponsoring the event. The TAPTalks colloquiums present brief, in-depth training experiences focusing on the individual psychology of Alfred Adler. They are designed to help professional counselors, psychologists, social workers, teachers, students, and other human service professionals expand their knowledge and skills through a foundational approach to human growth and development based on the strengths and individuality of each person. RSVPs can be made with Melissa Schmidt, graduate assistant, community counseling program, at (814) 871-5730. The session is free, and two continuing education credits are available for NCE/LPC through the Community Counseling program and for APA through NASAP, for a nominal fee.

The Erie County Bar Association and The Erie Runners Club Law Day 5k Run and Walk will be held Saturday, May 3 at 9 am. The race will start at the Erie County Courthouse.

New Found Glory will perform a concert at the Edinboro University McComb Fieldhouse on Saturday May 3 at 8 pm. Tickets are available online or at the Edinboro University Pogue Student Center SGA Convenience Store.

St Martin Center is offering a free homebuying class that will take place Wednesdays from May 7 – May 28. The class will be from 6-8 pm at St Martin Center, located at 1701 Parade Street. During the four weeks, students will learn how to read loan documents, how to budget, what predatory lending is, how to determine what they can afford, and much more. For required registration, call (814) 452-6113 ext 221.

In celebration of The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2008 Preservation Month theme, “Place Matters,” the Erie Center for Design and Preservation is hosting a lecture, seminar and walking tour on May 9-10. All three events are FREE and open to the public. The internationally-known founder of the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, Mr. Arthur Ziegler, will be the featured speaker at the Erie Center for Design and Preservation’s first public event. Ziegler’s lecture, “The Good Works of Historic Preservation,” will be delivered Friday, May 9 at 7 PM in the Orientation Theatre of the Erie Maritime Museum, adjacent to the Blasco Memorial Library on Erie’s Bayfront. Ziegler says “historic preservation should be looked upon as both a cultural and economic development tool, leading to community revitalization, local investment, jobs, and a better quality of life.” On Saturday morning, May 10, the Erie Center for Design and Preservation (ECDP) will sponsor a seminar on historic preservation. Topics include: an overview of the National Register of Historic Places, the economics of preservation, and the tax credits afforded to property owners who rehabilitate historic buildings. The seminar will be held Saturday, May 10 from 9 AM to Noon at the Erie Art Museum Annex, 20 East 5th Street. On Saturday afternoon, May 10 , Mr Jeff Kidder AIA of Kidder Wachter Architecture will offer a 90 minute architectural walking tour of lower State Street and Perry Square. Kidder will meet members of the tour on the front steps of the Erie Art Museum, 417 State Street at 1 PM. Kidder will discuss the history of the City of Erie, neighborhood changes and attributes of the remaining historic structures. Kidder believes that “historic preservation in Erie is an effective tool for managing growth, revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering local pride and maintaining community character while enhancing livability.” Kidder serves on the City of Erie Planning Commission, the Downtown Improvement District board, the Erie Center for Design and Preservation board, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Historic Preservation board.

The Gannon University Small Business Development Center along with Paulsen Productions are sponsoring “From Service To Success“, a seminar for entrepreneurial veterans. It will be held May 20 at the Gannon Yehl Ballroom, 124 West 7th St in Erie. Cost is $15 and registration is required.

KillerWolf Films is holding meetings/open auditions for their new feature film “Warriors of the Apocalypse” on Friday May 23 and Friday May 30. They will be held at the Playhouse Rehearsal space on 950 State Street in Erie from 6-9 pm both days. Shooting commences Saturday July 19 and wraps Sunday July 27, with filming being in the Northwestern PA area and possibly a few dates on the NJ/PA/NY border. KillerWolf Films latest release, “Fist of the Vampire“, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com and is to be released worldwide July 8 from Maxim Media International/Brain Damage Films. KillerWolf Films is co-owned by Erieite Len Kabasinski and Meadville,PA native Lisa McQuiston.

The charity bellydance event, “Shimmy for a Cure“, will be held May 31 at the Erie Playhouse in downtown Erie, PA. This event will benefit the John Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation.

Head Coach John T Reilly of Gannon University will conduct three sessions of basketball camp this summer. Sessions will be held June 9-13, June 23-27 and August 4-8. His coaching staff, area high school coaches and several of his players will serve as camp instructors. The sessions are designed as teaching camps that emphasize the fundamentals of the game of basketball. The camps are for students in Grades 3-10.

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.