Erie Blogs Week II continues today at the Community Blood Bank. One donor who signs up via the Erie Blogs Week form will walk away with an iPhone 3G, and there are other prizes for both donors and bloggers. The Community Blood Bank is open until 7:30 p.m. tonight. Please stop by and help save a life. Thanks to our sponsors, Newline Creations and McCarty Printing.
Only two more 8 Great Tuesdays concert series performances are left for the summer. Tonight’s concert 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.
The U.S. House Committee on Appropriations has OK’d $500,000 for John Kanzius’ cancer-killing device. It must now be passed by the full House, Senate, and be signed by the President. This is a big win for our area.
We here at the EB consider ourselves to be fairly competent internet users. Michael Vallimont of Greene Township isn’t. He got busted by Interpol for posting a picture of himself in a chatroom. Not just any picture but one in which he was wearing camo and holding a shotgun saying he planned to kill one of the chatroom participants, who lives in Virginia. A person from Amsterdam was also in the chat room and alerted Interpol. Vallimont could face no more than 90 days in jail and a $300 fine.
The Crawford County Fair continues through Saturday. The musical act tonight is of the American Idol t.v. show fame, Daughtry. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Russell E. Ellis and Carlos Q. Mathis have been arrested as part of the hands-on investigation concerning last week’s robbery at the Jockey Health Spa. Katylin Kramer was arrested last Friday as the mastermind of the robbery.
A 9-year-old boy drowned yesterday in Cascade Creek at Frontier Park. Someone who was with the boy at the time he drowned told bystanders he couldn’t swim. In a separate incident, yet another person has drowned at a PA state park, this time at Gifford Pinchot State Park in York County. A 4-year-old was in water not designated as a swimming area. Except for Presque Isle, PA state parks do not have lifeguards. 2 other people have drowned this summer. Sad news.
Pull out your finest and join us for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Second Chance Prom to benefit the non-profit foundation. The event will be held Saturday, September 20, 2008 at the Siebenbuerger Club, from 7-11 p.m. (dinner at 8pm). $15 per person Includes: buffet dinner, DJ, fun & games. Dinner starts at 8 p.m. and there is a cash bar. Please contact Amy Bement at the JDRF Office for more information and tickets at (814) 452-0635.
Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat, chair of the applied forensic sciences department at Mercyhurst College, recently returned from Lima, Peru, where he lent his expertise to the ongoing investigation of a fatal helicopter crash that claimed 10 lives last March.
Two summers ago Allegheny College studio art major Berry Breene first envisioned a mural to celebrate the history of Mill Run and Meadville. The project, undertaken in part to fulfill the requirement of her senior project, involved the design and eventual painting of a 12′ x 73′ mural, which is being installed this week on the Hovis Annex Building in downtown Meadville.
Gannon University has been awarded a $600,000 grant by the National Science Foundation to financially support an average of 20 students per year to pursue their dream of a career in the sciences.
Five McDowell High School seniors have been selected to attend the 2008 W2W Conference in Cambridge Mass. The conference will be attended by 75 students from 14 countries with the goal of establishing cultural connections and developing leadership skills. The young ladies from McDowell are members of the student group known as Exposure. The Exposure Club has a mission of promoting tolerance and increasing global awareness among the student body and the Millcreek community.
No game yesterday for the SeaWolves but they play away tonight.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The next Erie Block Party, held most Thursday evenings during the summer, will be August 21 at Matthew’s Trattoria & Martini Lounge with performers Duke Sherman Band & Sam Hyman.
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].
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 last of the “Buggin State” nights will be this Friday, August 22nd. The event will be held along State Street between 4th and 12th streets along State. Car clubs and individual car owners in the Erie area have a chance to showcase their classic, custom and tricked-out vehicles. There will be live music at Perry Square by the band Endless Summer.
The annual Zabawa Polish Festival will be August 22-24 at the Holy Trinity Parish Grounds. The festival will include Polish music, dancing, and traditional Polish meals (galumpki and pirogies anyone?). For more information call (814) 456-0671.
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 12th Annual Erie German Heritage Festival will be held August 30-31 at the Shriner’s Club Grounds. Don’t worry about eating too much wienersnitzels and sauerkraut since there will be ton of music and dancing going on. For more information visit the official website.
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.
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.
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.
