Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong spent 9 hours in court in the first day of two in a mental competency hearing. What a wast of time. Expert witnesses differed in their opinion according to who was paying them, the prosecution or the defense. I think everyone agrees she nuts, ie a wacked out bi__. The question is, does she know what is going on. She faces a laundry list of charges for her role in the collar bombing death of pizza deliveryman Brian Wells.

I got a call at work yesterday from a Virginia based manufacturer of material handling systems and components looking for a location in Erie. The company will be leasing around 15,000 sq ft in the City of Erie or Millcreek Township.

Baby killer Teri Rhodes will enter a guilty plea on Friday. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of deal she worked out with the Erie County DA. Heard Rhodes has been attending Oakland (Michigan) Community College. She was a Biology/Medical Technology major at Mercyhurst College. Rhodes murdered her newborn baby by suffocating the poor child 10 minutes after birth on August 12 of last year. She then placed her baby in a garbage bag and took a shower.

If you want a good laugh and like satire, read the story on IGN, “Archeologists Protest Indy’s Return.” “Dateline – Erie, PA: The National Board of Archeologists and Paleontologists have organized a nation-wide protest of the latest film in the celebrated Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” “These films present a terrible danger to our children,” replied Co-Chair Donald Forsythe. “They make archeology and the study of ancient history seem, in some strange way, both interesting and exciting. Which I can assure you they are not. I’ve never raided a tomb,” stated Perry. “Or protected a mystical object. I’ve never battled Nazis, or fired a gun, or known the touch of a woman. What I have done is taken twelve years of advanced education classes and searched for clay pots in the arm-pit of Africa.”

Open auditions for Shakespeare Summer Nights 2008 productions of AS YOU LIKE IT and HAMLET, will be held Monday and Tuesday, May 26 and 27 at 6 pm at the Schuster Theatre in Scottino Hall, 620 Sassafras St, on the campus of Gannon University. Readings will be provided, though prepared monologues are welcome. Performances of AS YOU LIKE IT will be July 24-26; HAMLET will be performed July 31-August 2. For more information, please contact Gannon University’s Director of Theatre Fr Shawn Clerkin, (814) 871-7493.

The Very Rev David Richardson was recently installed and blessed as the new director of the Anglican Centre in Rome. Present for the event were The Very Rev John P Downey, dean of the Cathedral of St Paul in Erie, Pennsylvania, and his wife, Sharon, who is the organist and choir director at the cathedral.

Joel Friend has been named youth coordinator at the Crafton United Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh. Friend, a native of Erie PA, will graduate from Geneva College on May 17 with a a degree in sociology with a minor in youth ministry.

Erie PA native Marty Carlson has been named interim head of the US Attorney’s Office in Harrisburg. The career federal prosecutor has been running the office since the resignation of Tom Marino last fall.

The Erie SeaWolves snapped a two-game losing skid, a five game slide to Bowie and a nine game home losing streak with a thrilling 9-2 victory over the Baysox on Wednesday afternoon at Jerry Uht Park. Max St Pierre went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI. Erie hosts Bowie again today at The Uht with a special 11:05 am start time. SeaWolves players will wear throwback uniforms from the 1999-2000 seasons as a part of our 10-seasons of Double-A celebration and the first 1,500 fans receive a free 2002 MVP SeaWolves Baseball Card

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin has named Adam Collins as the new head of the Falcon Women’s Basketball program. In addition to his coaching duties, he will also serve as assistant athletic director. Collins is currently the Director of Men’s Basketball Operations for the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Collins served as a Head Men’s Coach at Mercyhurst Northeast Junior College. He posted an impressive 44-14 record on route to receiving NJCAA Regional Coach of the Year honors in 2003-04.

The Mercyhurst College women’s varsity eight was selected to compete in the 2008 NCAA Division II Women’s Rowing Championships May 30 through June 1 at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, CA.

Alzheimer’s Association – Greater Pennsylvania Chapter presents “A Celebration of Caring, An Afternoon of Enlightenment and Recognition” today, Thursday, May 22, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm. Luncheon at The Regency at South Shore, 322 Washington Place, Erie, PA 16505. Featuring: Melanie Titzel, MS, Co-Chair Greater Pennsylvania Board of Directors and the presentation of the “Caring Touch” Award honoring outstanding performance in dementia patient care. Join us for an afternoon of enlightenment and recognition as you hear the touching story of Melanie Titzel’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease on a personal and professional level. The Caring Touch Awards are reserved for the “the best of the best” and offer you an excellent way to salute a deserving caregiver and recognize employee accomplishments This event is open to all professionals and family caregivers, and the community. For questions, please email Kristen Bires or call her at (814) 456-9200.

Aspiring dancers are invited to join the Mercyhurst North East Summer Dance Intensive, July 7-19, on the Mercyhurst North East campus and in downtown North East, PA. This is the second year for the intensive, which is designed for dancers of all levels, ages 12 through adult. Intermediate and advanced dancers will be challenged by the core curriculum that focuses on a wide range of dance genres and beginning dancers can develop their skills through introductory classes. Students can choose to attend for the full two weeks, or by the class. Dance genres that will be covered include flamenco, ballet, pointe, modern, pas de deux, improvisational dance, jazz, and hip-hop. Courses will also be offered in drama and voice. Performing artists from the area and around the world are teaching at the intensive, including world-renowned flamenco artist Luis Montero. Housing will be available for students in the MNE campus dormitories. The deadline to register is May 23. For more information on the MNE Summer Dance Intensive contact Gina Illingworth at (814) 725-6345.

Enjoy the public premiere of Mysteries of the Great Lakes on Friday, May 23 at 6 and 8 pm at the Big Green Screen Theater at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Regular showings run daily, beginning Saturday, May 24, at the top of every odd hour from 11 am to 7 pm.

Beaches at Presque Isle State Park open for the season on Saturday, May 25. The regular hours for lifeguards are 10 am to 7:30 pm. Swimming is not permitted on unguarded beach areas. To answer the four questions I am always asked: Camping is not permitted on the park. There are a number of boat launch areas. Dogs are allowed however, they must be on a leash. There are no restaurants but there are concession stands at Beaches 6, 8, 10 and 11.

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 Erie Playhouse Rehearsal space at 12th and Brandes Streets 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 11th annual Memorial Day Shootout soccer tournament will be held at Family First Sports Park in Erie PA, May 24-26. Over 250 teams U9-U19 are registered for the tourney. This is one of the top college recruiting tournaments in the country with dozens of colleges sending representatives. All area hotel rooms are booked and waits at area restaurants are expected.

Special events for are planned for Memorial Day weekend at the Erie Maritime Museum, Homeport of the US Brig Niagara. Climb aboard the reconstructed warship, the US Brig Niagara, which carried Oliver Hazard Perry to victory in the Battle of Lake Erie on Sept 10, 1813. The bayfront museum features hands-on exhibits, a one-of-a-kind “live fire” exhibit, a dockside amphitheater and spectacular views of Presque Isle Bay. The museum will celebrate its 10th anniversary on May 24 with hands-on activities, living history demonstrations, and live music from 10 am – 4 pm. Holiday weekend hours: Monday and Saturday: 9 am – 5 p.m.; Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm.

The Manufacturers’ Association of Northwest Pennsylvania Eggs ‘n’ Issues topic on Wednesday, May 28 will be Keeping Pennsylvania Producing: A campaign to keep business from leaving Pennsylvania and the United States. The speaker will be David Bell, Coalition Member, The American Council for a Strong Economy. Price is $30 for members and $60 for non-members.

Marketing on a Shoestring Budget, produced by the Gannon University SBDC, is a two-hour workshop you don’t want to miss! You want to market your small business but you don’t want to spend a lot of money. You may be just starting out and have precious little capital, or you may have a successful business but want to spend as little as possible for the greatest results (or, you may just be cheap.) Learn how to grow your sales without breaking the bank. The speaker is Adam Golomb, the Director of Marketing for Eat’n Park Hospitality Group. The event is 8-10 am on May 28 at The Marketplace Grill, 319 State Street Erie, PA 16507. For more information call 871-7232 or visit www.sbdcgannon.org. Fee: $35. Register here.

The Erie Capacity-Building Collaborative will be holding a FREE workshop on Fiscal Management 8:30-4 on Wednesday May 28. The workshop will be held at the GECAC Main Conference Room, 18 West 9th Street in Erie. It’s open to all community-based and faith-based grassroots organizations. Please RSVP at least one week in advance by contacting Lindsey Kimmy, 459-4581 Ext 448.

The 18th annual Erie Wild Rib Cook-off and Music Festival will be held May 28-31 at Perry Square in downtown Erie. Admission is FREE. This popular annual family event includes eight Professional National Award Winning Rib Cooking Teams offering the very best in BBQ cuisine. Added attractions include a selection of delicious festival foods, ongoing stage music, the “Kid ZONE” – a children’s fun area featuring scheduled Ride-A-Ribba-Rama packages, artist and crafts booths, educational and informational displays, specialty vendors and more. This festival has grown to attract over 50,000 visitors to Perry Square Park and the adjacent streets in Erie’s downtown district.

Dafmark Dance Theater and Erie Homes for Children and Adults (EHCA) presents “Partners in Dance VII: Modern Jazz Ain’t No Cakewalk.” The performance will begin at 1:30 pm on Thursday May 29 at Saint Benedict’s Community Center located at 320 East 10th Street and will feature dancers from the Dafmark Dance Theater and EHCA. The event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, call (814) 454-1534 x103.

JR’s Last Laugh Comedy Night Event to benefit Because You Care will be held at 6:30 pm on Thursday, May 29. Comedian: Juston McKinney. Food and drinks are available before and during the show. Ticket price: $15.50 Juston McKinney is one of the hottest comedians in the country. Coming to us from New York City, he has headlined many of the clubs in NY such as Caroline’s, Comic Strip Live, Dangerfield’s, and Stand-up NY. He’s been featured at the Toyota Comedy Festival and on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and had his own show on Comedy Central. He is a US Comedy Arts Festival Award Winner, and delivers a funny, original, high energy performance, which has made him a huge hit all over the country. Call (814) 899-0061 to buy single tickets or blocks of tickets. Circle May 29 on your calendar today and plan to enjoy a great night of entertainment. Get your party together and share the night with friends and family! A big thank you to JR’s Last Laugh Comedy Club for sponsoring the 6th annual Comedy Night event. The money raised will help Because You Care pay for the spay and neuter of the many kittens taken in during April and May.

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.

The Saint Vincent Sports Medicine 2008 Edinboro Triathlon will be held May 31. You can register here.

Preview dresses owned and worn by nationally-recognized celebrities like Martina McBride, Beyonce, Amy Grant, Ann Curry, Raven Symone, Patti LaBelle and many others from 12:30-3 pm June 1 at Lake Shore Country Club. The Celebrity Dress Preview event will benefit My Father’s House of Erie, a nonprofit transitional program for homeless/abused women and their children. The organization operates the retail store Bella Designs, 4801 Peach Street, in which women in the program have the opportunity to learn vocational skills and work experience. “These dresses are telling of the personalities who owned them ,” said Connie Miller, My Father’s House Of Erie, special projects administrator, “and this event will be a casual Sunday afternoon here in Erie by the lake to see them before they travel to Los Angeles for our live on-line fashion show auction in the Fall,” she added. The event will also feature guest speaker, Pete McDaniel, Senior Writer, Golf Digest Magazine and “Training a Tiger” co-author with the late Earl Woods, will entertain the audience with his storytelling and will auction four original Tiger Woods autographed photos from the legendary golfer’s PGA 20007 victory. Sponsored by Fishtank creative, an Erie-based marketing advertising and communications agency, powered by the Velocity Network, the host committee is comprised of Melanie Johnson, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, Cynthia Phillips, Motivational Speaker, Alan and Angie Rossum, NFL San Francisco 49ers (formerly of the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers), Shaun and Shonda Smith, NFL Cleveland Browns, and Dr. and Mrs. Matthew Thomas, St Vincent Health Center. Tickets are $35 per person or $50 per couple and available at the following locations: Bella Designs, 4801 Peach Street; All GE Federal Credit Union branches; and National City Bank, 801 State Street. For more information, please call (814) 879-0880.

The 2008 Sounds of Summer FREE Concert Series begins on June 2 at 7 pm at St Joseph Apartments, 517 Maryland Ave in Erie. The Gem City Jazz Ensemble performs. Bring a chair or a blanket and enjoy.

The Technology Council of Northwest Pennsylvania will hold a Breakfast Briefing, “Understanding Financial Ratios Your Banker Looks At”, Wednesday, June 4, 7:30 am to 9 am, at the Holiday Inn Express, 8101 Peach Street in Erie. Free to members, $40 non-members. RSVP by May 30. Advanced registration is required.

Erie Chamber Orchestra presents “A Tribute to Victor Herbert” on Friday June 6 at St Patrick’s Church, 130 East 4th St in Erie. A tin-pan alley composer, Herbert played the cello and wrote many light operas. Some of these works include “The Wizard of the Nile,” “The Fortune Teller,” and “Babes in Toyland.” The concert is FREE and open to the public. Show time is 7:30 pm.

On Saturday, June 7, 2008 there will be a Nautical Flea Market from 10 am to 1 pm at the BCMS (Bayfront Center for Maritime Studies) 40 Holland Street, Erie, PA. The event is FREE and is held in conjunction with Erie Safe Boating Day. All boaters (power/sail) are welcome. Tables for selling nautical wares are available FREE of charge but table reservations MUST be made by calling Linda Dunbar before May 28th at (814) 456-9060. A bulletin board will also be available to post items too large to display.

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.

Penn State Behrend will host its second international conference on injection molding, “Injection Molding: Innovation and Emerging Technologies,” from June 10-12. The three-day conference will feature 24 technical presentations, offered concurrently in the mornings, and hands-on tutorials in the afternoons. Two keynote speakers will address attendees on Wednesday and Thursday – Rob Neilley, editor-in-chief of Injection Molding Magazine, and William Carteaux, president and CEO of The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc, respectively. On Tuesday, all are invited to tour the local Rehrig Pacific Company plant, located at 1738 W 20th Street in Erie. Advance registration for the conference if required.

The first Erie Downtown Partnership Block Party of 2008 will be held Thursday June 12 on the 1300 block of State Street in front of Calamari’s Squid Row. The event is FREE. Food and beverages will be available for sale. One World Tribe will provide the music.

The 84th annual Lake City Fire Company Carnival will be held June 12-14 in Lake City, PA.

Gallery Night, which is organized by the Erie Art Museum, features FREE public touring of 12 local galleries and gallery activities, on Friday June 13, 2008 from 7 to 10 pm. Galleries that will be participating are Accents By The Bay, Allen Stoneware Gallery, Artworks Gallery and Clayspace Studio, Bayfront Gallery, Geary’s Studio 7, Glass Growers Gallery, Kada Gallery, Kuhn’s Framing and Gift Gallery, Ralph Miller Jewelers and Gallery, Relish Inc. Studio and Gallery, Urraro Gallery and the galleries at the Erie Art Museum. EMTA’s Bayliner will be providing FREE shuttle transportation from 7 to 10:30 pm. Trolley maps and schedules are available at each gallery or by calling the Erie Art Museum at (814) 459-5477. Participating galleries will be offering visitors a chance to win a $50 gift certificate as an incentive to attract patrons into touring their galleries.

The eMarketing Learning Center at eBizITPA will hold a roundtable titled Aligning Marketing and IT for Success from 4 pm to 5:30 pm on June 18.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) will hold a Summer On Campus Day, 1 pm – 4:30 pm on Friday, June 20 to provide opportunities for prospective students to tour the campus facilities and learn about the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy Program and the Health Sciences Post Baccalaureate Program. Please confirm your attendance for the event with Maggie Crosswhite or Camille Jennings.

The Erie Summer Festival of the Arts will be held June 27-29 at Liberty Park.

Erie’s gay, lesbian bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community will come together the weekend of June 28-29 to celebrate Pride 2008 with a picnic, march/rally, and social opportunities. Festivities get underway Saturday, June 28, with the Pride Erie Picnic at Rotary Pavilion, Beach 7 at Presque Isle State Park. The Pride Picnic runs from 1-6 pm with food being served from 2-4 pm. The Pride March will step off from The Zone Dance Club at 1 pm. Sunday, June 29, with the Pride Rally beginning in Perry Square at 2 pm. Information about the Erie area Pride March/Rally is available at www.ErieGayPride.org, by email at eriegaypride@gmail.com, or by calling 866-229-1974 (toll free).

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.

The 2008 City of Erie Junior Golf Program is open to boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 17. Entry fee is $7 per person. The number of entrants will determine the number of divisions. Registration will take place at J C Martin Golf Course from June 1 through July 19. Please call J C Martin Golf Course at 864-1821 with any questions. Tournament 1 is at J C Martin Golf Course, West 38th St and Shunpike Rd (next to Erie Zoo), on Wednesday, July 23 at 8 am. Tournament 2 will be held at Downing Golf Course, 1351 Troupe Rd, 899-5827, on Wednesday, July 30 at 8:30 am. Tournament 2 will be immediately followed by a picnic and an awards presentation.