The Erie area enjoyed another glorious day on Sunday – bright sunshine with a high of 88 degrees. About 80,000 people visited Presque Isle State Park over the weekend. The forecast today calls for a high near 90, the fifth day in a row with temps hitting the mid 80’s.

The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA) today expands service in the southern corridor that will enhance service to the VA Medical Center and add service to the Presque Isle Downs and Casino. The adjustments are as follows: Route 27 will travel from the Intermodal Center to the VA Medical Center and continue on to Presque Isle Downs and Casino seven days a week. There will be service adjustments to Routes 23 and M1 on weekdays to accommodate the changes to Route 27. There will be a change on Route 23 to service the Cidermill and Grandview areas. Minor route changes for Routes 26 and 15 to serve the East 38th Street and Bird Drive areas will be made. There will also be a service interval change on Route 24.

The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation recently appointed Rose S Prinzi to the position of communications coordinator. Prinzi is a graduate of Mercyhurst College and is working on an MBA at St Bonaventure University.

The Erie SeaWolves were unable to complete a three-game sweep of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats falling by a score of 5-2. The SeaWolves are off on Monday and will be back in action on Tuesday night in Erie at Jerry Uht Park on Tuesday night when they take on the Portland Sea Dogs.

Erie Otters General Manager and Managing Partner Sherry Bassin announced that Robbie Ftorek has agreed to terms on a 3 year contract to serve as the Otters Head Coach. The 56 year old Ftorek has more than 35 years of coaching and playing experience. Ftorek’s coaching career began in 1985-86 with the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League and included stops as a National Hockey League Head Coach in Los Angeles (1987-89), New Jersey (1998-00) and Boston (2001-03). In 443 NHL games Ftorek posted a winning percentage of .581 with a 229-157-44-13 (W-L-T-OTL) record. Ftorek also served as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils and Quebec Nordiques at the NHL level and as a Head Coach in the AHL with Halifax, Utica and Albany, where he was named AHL Coach of the Year in 1994-95 and 1995-1996.

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.

Jennifer Hughes will speak on the “Turtles of Presque Isle” at 7 pm on Tuesday, June 10 at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Dr in Erie. The lecture is FREE and the public is invited to attend. Hughes is a graduate of Penn State Erie with a Bachelors of Science in Biology and is affiliated with the Pennsylvania Sea Grant. Jennifer has been working on a Herpetological Survey at Presque Isle for the past two years as well as tracking snapping turtles to identify their seasonal movements. Both projects are geared towards conservation of these species. Presque Isle is constantly changing. Habitats that flourished years ago are no longer found. As the environment changes, so does the composition of species that live there. Ms Hughes’ lecture will introduce the amphibian and reptile species that can be found at Presque Isle and show several live specimens. She will also discuss the importance of population studies and how they further conservation strategies. The event is sponsored by the Regional Science Consortium.

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.

Reducing the costs of your compressed air system and an overview of energy tax incentives are two topics the Energy Roundtable will tackle during their next quarterly meeting. The Energy Roundtable was formed in 2007 to help business, industry and other large energy users (such as schools and healthcare facilities) in northwest Pennsylvania reduce energy costs through improved energy management, energy efficiency and cutting edge technology. The group was initiated through a collaborative effort of the Manufacturers’ Association, the NW PA Industrial Resource Center, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation, Penelec and the NW Rural Electric Cooperative. The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 12, 2008 at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at 301 Peninsula Drive in Erie. Registration is at 8:45 am, with the program running from 9 am to noon. The agenda for the meeting includes: Reducing the Costs of Your Compressed Air System and Energy Tax Incentives. “Energy issues continue to be on the front burner for most of our members,” said Manufacturers’ Association Director of Government Affairs Sheila Sterrett. “This roundtable has provided a forum for large energy users to gather and share information and participation has increased with each subsequent meeting.” To register, call (814) 456-6299, fax (814) 459-6058 or e-mail jmiller@nwirc.org. There is no charge for the event.

The 20th Thurston Classic Hot Air Balloon Event will be held June 12-15 at the Robertson Athletic Complex on the campus of Allegheny College in Meadville, PA.

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 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.

Starting on June 13 Theatre 145, located at 145 West 11th St in Erie, is going to rock like it never rocked before when “Remembering Janis” premieres. “Remembering Janis” honors one of the 1960’s greatest singers, Janis Joplin, through the memories of one of the Haight-Ashbury hippies who knew Janis from the time she arrived in San Francisco until her death in 1970. His memories bring the spirit of Janis back to sing her most popular songs. “Remembering Janis” will run on June 13, 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28. There will be no “Remembering Janis” show on Saturday June 14th. Ticket prices are $10 Regular seating, $12 Riser seating and VIP seating at $15. For advanced tickets please visit www.thetheatre145.com or call (814) 879-0733.

The Erie County Historical Society will hold a Corvette Cruise-In on Saturday June 14, 10 am – 4 pm, at the Erie Planetarium, 356 West 6th Street in Erie. Learn the connection between Apollo astronauts and the Corvette.

The 2008 Brianlee Crosby Memorial Learn to Swim Program, sponsored by the City of Erie Summer Recreation Program and operated by the American Red Cross, Greater Erie County Chapter, will be held June 16 to August 8. Qualifications: All boys and girls enrolled in the first through sixth grades may participate in the program. PROOF of grade level must be presented at the time of registration. The program is FREE to City of Erie School District students. A parent or legal guardian must accompany each child to complete the registration form at the appropriate pool on the first day of each two week instructional period. Parents or guardians are also responsible for their child’s attendance and transportation needs. Appropriate swimming attire and cleanliness will be required at all pools in operation. Pre-registration: Pre-registration will begin at 10 am on the morning of the first day of each session (June 16, June 30, July 14, July 28) at the Strong Vincent High School pool and the Central Tech High School pool. Children should come prepared to take their water skills tests in order to determine the appropriate level of instruction for them. Certification: All boys and girls enrolled will receive progress reports and an appropriate Red Cross certificate for satisfactory completion of their course. Observation days will be held on the last day of each session for all parents who wish to see the progress that their children have made in the course. Session Dates (Monday – Friday): Session I June 16 – June 27, Session II June 30 – July 11 (Closed July 4th), Session III July 14 – July 25, Session IV July 28 – Aug 8. Sessions begin at: 10 am, 11 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, Open Swim (For students enrolled in lessons; NOT open to public) from 2:30-3:30 pm. Open Swim: Open swim will be available at the Roger Young Pool Monday through Saturday from 12-5 pm. (June 16 – August 8) (Closed July 4th). For more information on training courses offered by your American Red Cross, call the Greater Erie County Chapter at 833-0942 ext 243.

The Erie Yacht Club’s Reyburn Sailing School youth and adult classes begins June 16. Their curriculum focuses on individual skill levels ranging from Beginner to Advanced Racing Sailors and carefully follows USSAILING guidelines. Their fleet consists of the Club Junior, the 420, and the Optimist Pram. All are tried and proven as exceptionally safe and easy-to-sail boats for novice and accomplished sailors.

The parishioners of the Church of the Nativity, with the blessing of Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, invite all Orthodox Christians and their families to attend Orthodox Christianity in the 21st Century, the 2008 Orthodox Conference. This family conference will be held from June 17-22 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is the second conference hosted by the Russian Orthodox Old Rite parish. Divine Services will be conducted at the Church of the Nativity and conference sessions will take place on the beautiful campus of Mercyhurst College, located three miles south of the church. This conference is intended for all members of Orthodox families and also for all single individuals who may not have a family to accompany them. There will be daily lectures, workshops, and divine services along with meals and social events during the week. There will also be a full youth program for all youth from 4 years of age and above and a baby sitting service for infants of parents who wish to attend the conference.

It is no secret that Marketing and IT professionals come from very different backgrounds and work in very different ways. However, in today’s fast paced world of digital marketing and increasingly important online customer experiences, it is imperative that these two groups come together. They need to collaborate in order to rise above the competition and reach the maximum potential of the organization’s online presence. The eMarketing Special Interest Group and the eMarketing Learning Center are offering Aligning Marketing and IT for Online Success on Wednesday, June 18 at Knowledge Park in Erie. Register Now.

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.

Gannon University Writers’ Workshops 2008 are for students Grades 4-12. Develop your writing process and produce a book of your writing under the direction of Dr Sally LeVan and the teachers of the NWPA Writing Project. Each session will be limited to 25 students per session. Dates are June 23-27, July 7-11 and July 21-25. Workshops will be held 9 am to 12 pm in Room 3200 of the Palumbo Center, 8th and Peach Streets. Registration includes T-shirt, snacks and book. $125 per one-week session/$200 for two-weeks. For information contact Dr Sally LeVan, (814) 871-7506. Registration.

The Saint Vincent Auxiliary presents “A Night at the Races” on Wednesday, June 25 at Presque Isle Downs Clubhouse and Lounge. The event is from 4:30 pm – 9 pm. Each attendee will receive $10 in gaming tokens, a four-course meal in the Clubhouse, and a chance to gamble the night away while learning more about the Children’s Miracle Network. For questions and/or RSVP, please contact Stephanie Flanagan at (814) 452-5302.

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

The Erie County Historical Society will hold a weekly Ghosts and Legends Tour at 8 pm on Fridays, June 27-September 26. Discover the mysteries of downtown Erie through a 1.5 hour walking tour. Reservations required, call (814) 454-1813, ext 0. Cost: $8 Adult, $4 Child.

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).

The Erie Philharmonic’s Get Your Phil At Noon Summer Music Series FREE concerts will be held July 8 and August 12 at noon in front of the Warner Theatre on State Street. The free lunch-hour ensemble concerts, designed to provide “music while you munch,” will feature a Philharmonic string quartet fully amplified and seating for the outdoor event. WQLN radio will broadcast live from the event this year.

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.

The Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm 2008 Native American Festival is July 26-27 at the farm in Edinboro. Hours are 11-6 daily. Admission is $3 per person, 3 and under are FREE.

The Gannon University ShakeXperience Theater Camp will be held Monday, July 28 through Saturday, August 2. This one-week resident high school (through graduation) theater camp is taught by members of Gannon’s theater program and qualified professionals. Classes are conducted in Shakespeare, text analysis, stage movement, rehearsal and performance. Workshops are offered in stage combat, period dance, and music. Includes a public matinee performance of CYMBELINE as part of the Shakespeare SummerNights outdoor threatre festival. Cost: $99 (includes room, board, and instruction fee). For more information, contact Fr Shawn Clerkin, (814) 871-7493.

The 2008 City of Erie Recreation Tennis Tournaments will be held once again at
Frontier Park. Junior: June 24-27, Adult: August 13-17. Applications are available at: PennBriar Health and Tennis Club, Westwood Racquet Club, Lake Shore Country Club, Kahkwa Club and Erie Sport Store’s downtown location. For more information contact Richard Beck at 835-5452.