CelebrateErie continues today and tomorrow in downtown Erie. Tonight’s musical headliner is Foreigner. The concert is free.
Erie blogger Brooke has a great collection of photos and a review of last weekends St. Paul’s Italian Festival. You really get a feel of Little Italy when viewing the pics.
One of the employees forced to undress and be tied up during a robbery at the Jockey Health Club may actually be the mastermind behind the crime. Katylin Kramer was arrested after cops found a receipt for duct tape and gloves from a nearby Rite Aid. They went to the Rite Aid and watched security camera footage and saw Kramer, 20, buying the items about an hour before the robbery. Ay, there’s the rub.
Funding is finally in place for the massive runway extension planned for the Erie International Airport. The $80 million project will begin soon and be completed by 2013. Almost 2,000 feet of runway will be added to the airport.
Last year, Dan Galena of Erie was removed from a Erie County Council meeting after raising objectives. Galena sued Fiore Leone, claiming his civil rights were violated. A judge in federal court ruled yesterday the case will go to trial.
Ladbrokes has cut the odds of Tom Ridge being John McCain’s running mate from 16-1 to 8-1 after the two campaigned together this past week in Pennsylvania. The current frontrunner, according to Gambling911.com is Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. Too bad Presque Isle Downs doesn’t have a sportsbook.
Judge Michael E. Dunlavey will be the guest speaker at the Eriez Toastmasters Club’s 50th Anniversary dinner celebrating the importance of leadership and speaking skills in achieving career and personal success. The dinner will take place at the Siebenbuerger Club on Aug 28th and tickets are $15. Interested parties must RSVP by Aug 21. More information here [PDF].
Don’t forget Erie Blogs Week II begins Monday at the Community Blood Bank. One person who signs in on the special Erie Blogs Week list will be picked and they will win an iPhone 3G. Mike’s a huge fan of his new iPhone 3G – but you don’t have to wait in line three hours for yours like he did.
Steelers fans should be excited to read this. A celebrity pro party will be held by sports artist Kevin-John along with former Pittsburgh Steelers players on September 14th, 2008 at the Brewerie in downtown Erie. The Steelers versus the Browns will be the game of the week and televised at the party with the red carpet walk beginning at 6 p.m. The Hollywood style celebrity party is a fund raiser for the Willie Williams Show Them We Care Foundation for children’s education. Tickets begin at $35. For more information visit the official website.
The Erie based non-profit Gem City Concert Band is seeking new members for the Fall 2008 season. The 50 member concert band is under the direction of Scott Tomlison and plays a variety of music styles such as old overtures, show tunes, traditional concert band pieces, movie scores, and marches. Rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. with Fall ’08 rehearsals beginning September 9th. All instruments are welcomed. Membership is free and interested musicians should call 814-899-8467, email, or visit the official website.
Taking a page from the “when all else fails, burn it down” book, two Erie men are in jail after setting fire to their house to collect insurance money after they fell behind on their mortgage payments. They set their garbage on fire and took off, leaving a dog in the house who died.
MTR Gaming Group, parent company of Mountaineer Casino and Presque Isle Downs must increase earnings by 60% or they will violate terms of its credit agreement, so says Standard and Poor’s. To add insult to injury, Standard and Poor’s also lowered MTR’s credit rating from B+ to B-. I’m sure they’d appreciate it if we all went and played the slots more.
Erieite filmmaker Len Kabasinski’s movies will be coming to Best Buy, FYE, Suncoast, and a number of home media outlets on Tuesday August 19th. they will be available on box sets from Millcreek Entertainment/Pendulum Pictures released by the production company KillerWolf Films. Look for the following titles on DVD: “Catacomb of Creepshows” and “Mortuary of Madness.” Len is currently wrapping up production on his 4th film, Warriors of the Apocolypse.
Craig Lawrence of Fairview has been named one of the team captains this year for the Allegheny College football team. During his career at Allegheny, Lawrence has 80 total tackles and 6.5 sacks.
In what can only be considered a unique idea, Mercyhurst College’s Hospitality Management Department and the Mercy Center on Aging, Inc. have partnered to present a professional chefs’ Ultimate Gingerbread Challenge. The event is well organized with a number of opportunities to participate, judge, or simply attend the event when it is held this November. The event will benefit the Mercy Center on Aging. For more information visit the official website.
The Connecticut Defenders tied the game at 4-4 on Friday night at Jerry Uht Park in the top of the ninth inning, but in the bottom half, Will Rhymes drove in the game-winner on a single off the wall as the ‘Wolves won the first game of the series 5-4
UPCOMING EVENTS
Only two more 8 Great Tuesdays concert series performances are left for the summer. Next Tuesday, August 19th, will feature Erie’s own Dave Stevens Big Band from 6:30 – 9:30 at the Liberty Park, Pepsi Amphitheater. The event is free and shuttles to the park will be provided.
Asbury Woods along with photographer Jim Kubaney will introduce students to digital photography and learning how to photograph nature (bring your own digital camera). Class will be held August 19. For more information call (814) 835-5356.
The Erie Block Party, held most Thursday evenings during the summer, will not be held next Thursday, August 14 due to CelebrateErie. The next upcoming block party will be August 21 at Matthew’s Trattoria & Martini Lounge with performers Duke Sherman Band & Sam Hyman.
The 20-piece Gem City Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Scott Tomlison, will be offering two outdoor performances. The first will be held on Friday evening, August 22, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Shops at the Colony (formerly the Colony Plaza) on West 8th Street. The second performance will be the City of Erie’s final “Sounds of Summer” Concert on Monday, August 25th from 7 to 8 p.m. at Schmidt Towers – 153 E. 6th Street. Both concerts are open to the public and free of charge. Bring a blanket or lawn chair to enjoy the shows.
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 Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park (LEAF) last remaining family friendly movie of the season will be held next Friday, August 22. LEAF’s mission is to expand the Arboretum at Frontier Park, as well as provided related recreational and educational programs for the community.
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.
The nineteenth annual Silberman Recital Series at Allegheny College will feature performances by one of the country’s newest chamber music groups as well as musicians who have earned critical acclaim over decades of work on the concert stage and in the recording studio. The series will open with Manhattan Piano Trio on Monday, Sept. 8.
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.
Eerie Horror Film Festival is partnering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to sponsor the “Monster Wish” charity walk & fun run at Presque Isle on September 13th. The walk/run sign in will be at beach one at 10:00 a.m., and the Mayor will be present to impart a few words of inspiration to the participants before the walk starts. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Foundation. Please contact Melissa Bostaph at (814) 899-0407 for more information.
Erie non-profit group Therapy Dogs United, Inc., in conjunction with the American Kennel Club, will host the area’s only Responsible Dog Ownership Day at Frontier Park (north side) Saturday, September 20th, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, rain or shine. Event highlights include a Blessing of the Dogs, Parade of Breeds, agility demonstrations, special appearance by search and rescue dogs, K9 police units, and therapy dogs. Other activities include Canine CPR, Pet First Aid, dog rescue groups, animal safety demonstrations, live acoustic music, contests, prizes, chinese auciton, animal-related vendors.
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.
