The annual Dan Rice Days celebration continues along Main Street in downtown Girard. The event which ends tonight (except for a few small events tomorrow) has a number of things going on including a parade at 11 a.m., live entertainment, 5k race, antique appraisals, civil war reenactments, and art & craft shows and fireworks. ErieBlogs.com has complete coverage on the Dan Rice Days celebration.

A number of Pennsylvania fair grounds will receive a total of $620,000 in state grants for expansion and improvement projects. Locally, $4,400 in grants went to the Waterford Community Fair, $16,250 to the Crawford County Fair, and $8,125 to the Warren County Fair.

More grant money will go toward the expansion of “Classrooms for the Future” which will provide funding toward the purchase of laptop computers, high-speed internet access and state-of-the-art software for high school math, science, English and social studies classrooms. The following school districts are receiving funds from the program for the first time since the programs inception three years ago. For Erie County: General McLane, $123,096; Harbor Creek, $138,210; North East, $98,713; and Wattsburg Area, $107,459. For Crawford County: Conneaut, $224,074; Crawford Central, $214,474; and Penncrest, $239,663.

James H. Mullen, Jr. began his tenure as the 21st president of Allegheny College yesterday. With 20 years of experience in leadership roles in higher education, and a keen appreciation for Allegheny’s history and traditions, he is continuing the work of earlier presidents in building community while at the same time enhancing the college’s reputation as one of the nation’s preeminent colleges of the liberal arts and sciences. Mullen is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. He holds a master of public policy degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Erie County resident David Lohr will be on Fox News Channel’s Geraldo at Large program tonight at 10 p.m. Lohr will be talking about the Caylee Anthony disappearance. Anthony, 2, was last seen on June 9. Anthony’s mother is being held in jail on charges of child neglect. Dirt, strands of hair similar to Caylee’s and a “mysterious” stain have allegedly been found in the trunk of the mother’s car.

If you’re a Verizon Wireless subscriber – check your bill. Verizon got their billing system figured out (finally?) and is now charging you for a Pennsylvania Gross Receipts Tax Surcharge that you owed since 2006 but weren’t being charged for. You can pay it all at once or call in and have the balance spread out over several months. Mike’s iPhone is amused.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy will hold a live online discussion addressing the question: “what should your nonprofit organization do to be ready for windfall gift and how have other groups handled such windfalls?” Mike Batchelor, president of the Erie Community Foundation (recipient of a surprise $100-million gift from an anonymous donor) and Joe Evans, Board of Director of the George School, a Quaker boarding and day school in Newtown, Pa., will respond to questions and comments about these issues on Tuesday, August 5, at 12 noon. You may submit your questions and comments now. Mr. Batchelor wrote an Op-Ed for ErieBlogs.com, available here.

We were jazzed to see Erie County get their credit rating improved by both Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s in the last few weeks. We then realized that was for Erie County, New York. Does anyone have this info for Erie County, Pa.?

VNA Hospice Services of Erie County will hold its annual memorial butterfly release, “Wings of Hope,” on Sunday, August 3, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. at Perry Square Park – West in Erie. Wings of Hope is open to the public and people do not need to sponsor a butterfly to attend. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for your convenience.

Erie SeaWolves blasted the Reading Phillies 10-6 last night. Both teams had two home runs each but the ‘Wolves had the better bats overall.

Dave Hess has been named varsity head baseball coach at Cathedral Prep. Hess is a Prep alum and was an assistant coach on the team for nine years.

Minneapolis based duo Beatrix JAR returns to the Erie Art Museum,offering interactive events throughout the week beginning July 29, 2008 thru August 2, 2008. At each event, Beatrix JAR will present their unique stylings, including their most noted use of circuit bending verse traditional instrumental usage.

The 5th Annual Erie SeaWolves Fun Run/Walk (5k Run/2 mile Walk) will be held today with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the race beginning at 9:30 a.m. Proceeds to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central PA. For more information visit the event website.

Young Erie Professionals (yep!) will hold its 5th Annual Kickball Tournament today at 8:00 a.m. at Community Park in Harborcreek. Yep! will also host an Executive Coffee Talk on Wednesday, August 6 at 5:30 p.m. at the Brewerie at Union Station (123 W 14th St., Erie). Jim Berlin, local entrepreneur and CEO of Logistics Plus, will be the speaker.

It’s coming up! CelebrateErie will be held August, 14-17, 2008, and will feature a number of events, music performances, and the favorite “Taste of Erie.” More on Celebrate Erie next week on ErieBlogs.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The next 8 Great Tuesdays concert series will feature the performer Leon Russell. Leon will play next Tuesday, August 5 from 6:30 – 9:30 at the Liberty Park, Pepsi Amphitheater. The event is free and shuttles to the park will be provided.

The inaugural Erie Big Ball Hall of Fame will be launched at this year’s Big Ball All Star Game on Friday, August 8. With over 75 years of history and thousands of local and regional players throughout the years, the Hall of Fame committee was started and has selected six players to be the first inducted members of this unique Hall of Fame.

The Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park (LEAF) has a number of events and movies planned for the summer running now to August 15. Thursdays, starting at 7 p.m., music will be played at the Amphitheater located at 6th Street and Frontier Drive. Friday nights at dusk, a family friendly movie will be played. LEAF’s mission is to expand the Arboretum at Frontier Park, as well as provided related recreational and educational programs for the community.

Every Friday at 8 p.m., now until September 26 (exception: September 5th) the Erie County Historical Society will hold a Ghosts and Legends Tour. Discover the mysteries of downtown Erie through a 1 1/2 hour walking tour. Since size of group tour is limited, reservations required; call (814) 454-1813, ext 0. Cost: $8 Adult, $4 Child.

The next Erie Philharmonic’s Get Your Phil At Noon Summer Music Series concert will be held August 12 at noon in front of the Warner Theater 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.

A fundraising event for the Lindsay Graygo Empowerment Scholarship Fund will be held Wednesday, August 13 from 5-8 p.m. at Molly Brannigans. Celebrity bartenders will serve up your favorite drinks and a Chinese auction will be held. Bartender tips and auction proceeds will go to directly to the fund. If you would like to make a donation, please visit the Scholarship’s donation page.

The 2008 City of Erie Recreation Tennis Tournaments will be held once again at
Frontier Park. Adults: August 13-17 (session for juniors has passed). 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.

The Erie Art Museum opens Art from the Dr. Gertrude A. Barber National Institute in the Erie Art Museum’s Annex Gallery, 423 State Street, now through October 4. A public opening reception is scheduled for Gallery Night on Friday, Aug. 22, 2008 from 6-10 p.m.

Erie to host young professionals from across the state at Pennsylvania Young Professionals 2008 ImPAct Conference ERIE, PA — Young professionals, business executives and civic leaders from across the state are invited to take part the Pennsylvania Young Professionals 2008 ImPAct Conference, being held Sept. 12-14 at Erie’s Bayfront Convention Center, 1 Sassafras Pier. This marks the first year the ImPAct Conference (Innovative Minds Creating Pennsylvania’s Tomorrow) will be held in northwestern Pennsylvania.