The Erie Block Party, held most Thursday evenings during the summer, will be held this week at Jr’s Last Laugh Comedy Club featuring the rock band M-80′s. The event theme is “Take You Back” and benefits Vietnam Veterans Chapter 435. Upcoming block parties:
August 14 – No block party; CelebrateErie begins.
August 21 at Matthew’s Trattoria & Martini Lounge with performers Duke Sherman Band & Sam Hyman.
August 28 at Plymouth with performers Key West Express.
September 4 at Scully’s with performer Money Shot.
Remember that 30% gas price increase announced last week by National Fuel Gas? Well, yesterday they filed for a 10.7% decrease in the cost of natural gas. The net result will be a 19% increase in gas prices. The price of natural gas has declined since that 30% increase was requested, and NFG is not allowed to profit on the cost of the gas. That decline is nice but a lot of people are going to be in serious trouble this winter, especially given how much everything else costs any more.
City of Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott has released his mid-year report (PDF here) A few interesting bits: Erie’s traffic court through June has raised $412,746.00 in revenue for the city. The Narcotics unit has nearly fifty investigations resulting in over forty
arrests and the seizure of $270,000 in illegal narcotics, ten firearms and $50,000 cash. The IT department has applied for a state development grant for new software and fiber connectivity. Finally, to date, over 13,000 rental units in the city have registered with the city’s rental inspection program (at a $40 fee per unit), generating over $500,000 annual revenue for administration of this program.
Former University of Iowa player Abe Satterfield of Erie remains on the football team at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Crimson Hawks coach Lou Tepper said Monday during the team’s media day. His sexual abuse trial begins November 3.
Conneaut, Ohio is exploring building a wind farm that could bring needed revenue and tax breaks to the city. Plans are in the works for as many as 50 wind turbines on three areas in the city, including land near I-90 and the Pennsylvania state line.
Scott Friedhoff, vice president for enrollment and communications at Allegheny College, has been elected as chair of the Pennsylvania ACT Council and State Organization. His term began August 1.
Erie Insurance came through as the #1 car insurer for new car insurers (note the distinction). A.M Best’s, a business credit rating organization, has a web page dedicated to the survey including a video with intro music straight from the 80′s.
Erie resident Gerri Gallagher was selected as a finalist in the fifth annual Pennsylvania “Simply Delicious, Simply Nutritious” Vegetable Recipe Contest statewide Cook-Off. The event will be held this Friday in Harrisburg Gerri’s Zucchini Alfredo recipe was chosen for the summer squash category. Finalists will compete for a $100 prize.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has expanded its urban recreation initiative to introduce more young people to Pennsylvania state parks. The Erie region is part of that expansion with a children’s camp held this week at the Boys and Girls Club of Erie.
The Harrisburg Senators faltered down the stretch in an 8-3 loss to the Erie SeaWolves, Wednesday afternoon at Jerry Uht Park. The Senators didn’t have a base hit after the 4th inning and made five errors in the field.
Nick Bird is the winner of the Jim Martin Memorial EDGA Junior Stroke Play tournament. The EDGA Amateur Championship is this weekend at the Lawrence Park Golf Club.
Can you believe we’re just a few weeks away from the start of football season? Thins year, we’ll be running another ErieBlogs.com Fantasy Football League. Feel free to join up – the password is erie. The league winner will be awarded a fabulousness prize from ErieBlogs.com. We can’t vouch for the fabulousness, but we’ll at least get the winner a gift or gas card. It’s the least we can do.
Attention local businesses! In a few weeks, we will be launching the 2nd Annual Erie Blogs Week at the Community Blood Bank. We’re working with Dan and the crew on some great giveaways, but we need your help. If you and/or your business would like to contribute to our gift baskets, please fill out our contact form and Mike will get right back to you. Items like gas cards or other gift certificates would be awesome. Thank you so much!
VisitErie is planning a Meeting Planner’s Familiarization (FAM) tour August 12-14 for national and state-wide meeting planners. Joe Holody, Director of Convention Sales & Services will tour the group through various meeting facilities, attractions and lodging options, showing off our area with the goal to have them select Erie as their next meeting/convention destination. Groups scheduled to attend the FAM tour include PA Petroleum Marketers & Conveniences, PA Physical Therapy Association and the National Association of University Women.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The next 8 Great Tuesdays concert series will feature the rock band Joe Grushecky and the House Rockers. The Rockers will play next Tuesday, August 12 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 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). More on the St. Paul Italian Festival.
If you’re downtown around Noon on Tuesday, August 12, stop by the Warner Theater for the “Get Your Phil At Noon” Summer Music Series. The Erie Philharmonic’s free lunch-hour concert is designed to provide “music while you munch,” and will feature a Philharmonic string quartet fully amplified as well as seating for the outdoor event.
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.
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.
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.
Friends of Allegheny Wilderness (FAW), a non-profit organization based in Warren, is hosting a “wild” picnic Aug. 13 at Oil Creek State Park. The old-fashioned community-style picnic is open to anyone interested in learning more about the campaign to forever protect the most natural areas of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) through Congressional wilderness designation under the Wilderness Act of 1964. FAW is providing hot dogs, drinks and condiments and those attending are asked to bring a dish to share and their own tableware.
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.
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.
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.
The State Library of Pennsylvania will celebrate its second annual Genealogy Day on Saturday,
Sept. 20. This free event will have exhibits and information sessions on various subject areas. For additional information, please contact Marc Bender at (717) 705-6272.
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.
