Officials in Pittsburgh are looking to Erie as a model of how to control overcrowding at local juvenile detention centers. An opinion column in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette urges caution.

VNA Hospice Services of Erie County will hold its annual memorial butterfly release, “Wings of Hope,” today at 1:00 p.m. at Perry Square Park – West. 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.

Kathy Dahlkemper, who will face incumbent Phil English for the 3rd Congressional District set this November, has progressed to the next round of the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Red to Blue program. The Red to Blue program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country, and offers them financial, communications, and strategic support. In 2006, the aveage dollar amount given to each candidate in the program was about $404,000 per candidate. The dollar value in 2008 could be higher.

Looking for a cheap and easy way to prepare your child to go back to school, yet still hold on to the last remnants of summer vacation? The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is offering free admission for children age 17 and under at its 24 historical sites this August, and is inviting parents to make Pennsylvania their education destination. In our area, the following museums will be participating in the program: Drake Well Museum, Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara.

The 5th Annual Key West Phest will be held this Friday and Saturday, August 8 & 9, at Liberty Park on the bayfront. The event is free but through on site fundraising efforts, money will be raised for charity. Friday’s events run from 4 – 10 p.m. with the band Key West Express closing the park, and Saturday from 1 – 10 p.m. with the night’s entertainment by Club Trini (not to be confused with Club Tranny). Parking will be at least $15 so you may want to consider taking a shuttle roundtrip for $1.

St. Paul’s annual Italian Festival will be August 8 – 10 with lots and lots of Italian food including patries and a pasta fagioli dinner. While you are stuffing your face you can enjoy musical entertainment & games like bingo. Don’t forget about the Procession of Blessed Virgin Mary Statue after Sunday’s 11 a.m. Mass. The festival will be held in Little Italy (West 16 & Walnut Streets). We will have more on the Italian Festival on Monday.

Peter Sidorkiewicz will return to the Erie Otters as an assistant coach this fall. He was named the head coach of the team in 2006 but was demoted in 2007 when the team hired ex-NHL head coach Robbie Ftorek.

Josh Rainwater and Angel Castro combined to toss a five-hit shutout against the Reading Phillies on Saturday night at Jerry Uht Park in a 9-0 SeaWolves win. Erie is now 5-0 against the Phils at home.

Dove and early goose hunting season begins on September 1. The zone for Canada geese will change this season, as will the number of geese hunters can collect daily (three). The Southern James Bay Population zone is defined as the area north of Interstate 80 and west of Interstate 79, including in the city of Erie west of the Bayfront Parkway to the Lake Erie Duck zone, which includes Lake Erie, Presque Isle and the area within 150 yards of the Lake Erie shoreline.

Asbury Woods along with photographer Jim Kubaney will introduce students to digital photography and learning how to photograph nature (bring your own digital camera). Classes will be held August 12 & 19. For more information call (814) 835-5356.

The North East National Rib Festival, sponsored by Fuller Hose Company, will be held August 24-26. For more information contact Fuller Hose at (814) 725-3308.

The Wine Country Harvest Festival, hosted by the North East Chamber of Commerce, will be held September 28-30. Expect a variety of music, food, arts & crafts, champagne breakfast, Cruise In, Children’s Area, winery tours, wagon rides, wine and food seminars, wine by the glass, and souvenirs. There will be 5 wineries in the wine tent this year, serving more than 40 varieties of wine, along with free shuttle service to the wineries and to other attractions in town.

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.

Young Erie Professionals (yep!) will 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.

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.